Environmental Services - April 2019
Two Oklahoma hospitals held off spread of ‘superbug’
Both incidents reflect the growing problem of multidrug-resistant Candida auris
4/30/2019
Many Fla. healthcare facilities still lack generators
As hurricane season nears, many nursing homes and assisted living facilities struggle to meet requirements
4/30/2019
Maintaining a safe and healthy healthcare facility
Running any type of medical facility requires a high level of performance, cleanliness and safety
4/30/2019
Coalitions help healthcare facilities prepare for disasters
There are nearly 500 healthcare coalitions across the U.S.
4/30/2019
Are cleaners sanitizing and disinfecting too much?
Doctor says routine cleaning and maintenance of large water systems are key to preventing patients from falling ill
4/30/2019
Lighting guidelines change for healthcare facilities
Changes in the healthcare industry have impacted how facilities are designed and operated
4/29/2019
Hilo hospital adopts airport-style security measures
A man attacked four employees last month
4/29/2019
Best practices for cleaning, disinfection
Cleaning, disinfecting critical to prevention of hospital-acquired infections
4/29/2019
Irish hospitals won't limit food high in sugar, salt and fat
Priority is to ensure patients get enough energy
4/29/2019
Practice Greenhealth names 25 most environmentally sustainable hospitals
The winners were chosen among hospital applicants that have the highest scores on the Greenhealth Partner for Change application
4/29/2019
Medical facility saves time and money by refreshing maternity ward doors
Maternity ward doors suffer from frequent use and required a fresh coat of paint every three months
4/29/2019
Deadly fungus must spur big changes in infection control
Expert says the best way to prepare for Candida auris is to really examine the culture around infection control in the nursing home
4/26/2019
Hospitals deploy a range of methods against superbugs
C. auris can survive for weeks outside a patient
4/26/2019
Conversational chatbots in healthcare facilities
Among the areas where AI is transforming healthcare is within the arena of patient experience
4/26/2019
Study: 14 percent of new hospital patients carry superbugs
Researchers found multidrug-resistant organisms in 29 percent of patient rooms
4/26/2019
Healthcare information technology market to reach $441 billion by 2025
Favorable government initiatives for encouraging adoption of information technology in healthcare services will boost industry growth in the future.
4/26/2019
South Carolina hospitals reviewing security after two shootings
South Carolina Hospital Association hosted a webinar about violence in healthcare settings
4/25/2019
Study finds low hand-hygiene compliance in ICUs
Hand-hygiene compliance was lowest when moving from dirtier to cleaner patient-care tasks
4/25/2019
Tennessee hospital boost security following shooting
The Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg is adding armed guards
4/25/2019
New York hospital
NewYork-Presbyterian has earned the ASHE Excellence in Health Care Facility Management Award
4/25/2019
Veteran shoots, kills himself in Texas VA waiting room
Less than a week before, two veterans from Georgia killed themselves in separate incidents outside VA hospitals
4/24/2019
Contaminated duodenoscopes linked to 3 new deaths, 45 more infections
FDA says manufacturers must increase post-market studies
4/24/2019
Ebola surge experiences two consecutive record-setting days
The surge came just as WHO emergency committee decided the developments did not constitute an international public health emergency
4/23/2019
Research links antimicrobial resistance and climate change
Researchers noticed that resistance increased as temperatures warmed in the U.S.
4/23/2019
Study says privacy curtains often contaminated with superbugs
Researchers also found bedside curtain contamination was linked to patients becoming colonized with MRSA and VRE
4/23/2019
FDA issues final rule on hand sanitizers
The rule says certain active ingredients are not allowed to be used
4/23/2019
Study says petting zoos are breeding grounds for drug-resistant superbugs
Petting zoos can result in shedding and transmission of multi-drug resistant pathogens
4/23/2019
Specifying portable cooling based on facility needs
Managers need to understand cooling needs and equipment requirements
4/23/2019
SC laws under scrutiny after two hospital shootings in two days
Current laws do little to deter patients from lashing out at healthcare workers and should be reformed
4/22/2019
CDC says water-related outbreaks account for one-fifth of its HAI consultations
Cases cited did not include Legionella
4/22/2019
Legionnaires' cases increasing
The number of people with Legionnaires’ disease grew by nearly five times from 2000-2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
4/22/2019
SC hospital shootings highlight violence in healthcare facilities
Advocates say the culture tells employees danger is 'just part of a job'
4/22/2019
Security tightening at hospitals
Some facilities have moved to increase security due to local and even internal incidents
4/22/2019
Third baby dies in Glasgow after contracting hospital infection
Two extremely premature babies have already died at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital
4/18/2019
Healthcare facility staffers have had enough of workplace violence
Groups representing doctors and nurses calling for changes
4/18/2019
Nursing homes using special soap on patients to fight drug-resistant germs
At least 2 million people in the U.S. become infected with an antibiotic-resistant bacteria every year
4/18/2019
Baltimore area hospitals bar youth visitors amid measles concerns
With a case of the measles reported, a health system is not allowing visitors under the age of 14
4/18/2019
WHO decides Congo Ebola outbreak is not an international emergency
Declaring the outbreak a 'public health emergency of international concern' would have boosted international response
4/17/2019
Scientists see new superbugs in the future
Drug-resistant infections affect 2 million people a year in the United States
4/17/2019
E. coli strain found in NYC hospital
Researchers identified a highly resistant strain of Escherichia coli in four patients
4/17/2019
Fault-detection software can support Increased air optimization and infectious disease prevention
In the last decade, the number of people getting sick from Legionella bacteria in healthcare and hospital environments has substantially increased
4/17/2019
Healthcare facilities upgrade dining options
An article on the Healthcare Design website showcases several recent healthcare dining options
4/17/2019
Why Candida auris is an 'emerging threat'
Candida auris is continuing to spread in hospitals around the world
4/16/2019
Caution urged in outbreak of deadly fungus in Chicago area
Candida auris has sickened more than 150 people in Illinois, most of them in the Chicago area
4/16/2019
Secrecy around drug-resistant outbreaks in hospitals debated
The rise of a deadly drug-resistant fungus called Candida auris has raised questions about the policy of secrecy
4/16/2019
Study: Electronic health records market to reach $38 billion by 2025
Rising adoption of electronic health record will augment electronic health records industry growth in the upcoming period
4/16/2019
How to attract and retain millennial healthcare workers
For recruiters and hiring managers in the notoriously tight healthcare market, it’s a whole new game
4/15/2019
Health concerns expected to fuel cleaning chemicals market
The recent outbreak of diseases, such as Ebola, swine flu, etc. have increased health concerns
4/15/2019
Automated doors can provide both access and security to healthcare facilities
Different types of entrances present their own challenges
4/15/2019
Are biofilms from hospital shower pipes harmful?
Some new bacteria with characteristics of species known to be harmful were seen
4/15/2019
Bedside tablets and apps are giving patients some control over care
The apps provide medical information, such as medications and dosage, procedures, daily care schedules, test results and education videos
4/12/2019
Hospital hit by lethal infection is still dirty, according to parents of patients
Two families have made official complaints claiming the wards are not being cleaned properly and accusing staff of failing to treat the issue seriously
4/12/2019
CDC: Almost half infected by Candida auris die in 90 days
The fungus, which preys on people with weakened immune systems, is spreading around the world
4/11/2019
Visitor's bag may have contained gun Naples hospital patient used to kill himself
The hospital is considering policy changes after the incident
4/11/2019
Hospital vows ‘robust’ cleaning procedures after deaths linked to pigeon droppings
In 2018, two patients at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital died from infection linked to pigeon droppings
4/11/2019
Calif. hospital lets kids drive mini cars to surgery
Kids have a choice between a black mini Mercedes and a pink Beetle
4/11/2019
Developing a successful ASC infection control program
Specific procedures like sterile processing for instrument care should be in place
4/11/2019
Hospital security staff strikes
Security staff at Southampton General Hospital's emergency department stages 24-hour strike in a dispute over safety, pay and sick leave conditions
4/10/2019
Mitigating vendor risks to combat hospitals’ most common non-compliance requirements
Often, hospitals outsource management of systems to third-party vendors where inconsistencies can arise
4/10/2019
Wyoming healthcare facility planning security upgrades after active shooter incident
Casper hospital to get cameras, doors and guards
4/9/2019
Technology supports the patient-centered supply chain, improving outcomes and boosting cost savings
Tech-savvy organizations are finding untapped opportunities in the supply chain
4/9/2019
Longer terminal cleaning may not be more effective
A study was conducted at an acute care Veterans Affairs hospital in Temple, Texas
4/9/2019
1 in 4 healthcare facilities lacks basic water services
UNICEF and WHO say many health centers lack basic facilities for hand hygiene and safe segregation and disposal of healthcare waste
4/9/2019
Pa health system creates new executive position in response to safety violations
Lancaster General Hospital gets third citation in a year after patient wandered across town
4/9/2019
WHO says Congo Ebola outbreak spreading faster than ever
Each of the past two weeks have registered a record number of new cases
4/8/2019
Best practices for healthcare cybersecurity
HIPAA's latest figures show that the number of patient records exposed tripled last year
4/8/2019
Software and hardware end-of-life risks for healthcare
Not addressing unsupported assets can be a major risk
4/8/2019
Hospital evacuation linked to botched toilet repair
Difficulty locating the damaged pipe’s shut-off valve has raised concerns about safety protocols
4/8/2019
Telemedicine stands to offer new horizons to healthcare solution landscape
Program run by New Jersey utility lets hospitals to use interest-free, on-bill repayment to install energy-saving upgrades
4/8/2019
26 states report high flu activity
Flu was widespread in 34 states and Puerto Rico for the week ending March 23
4/5/2019
Patient sleeps in chair because Edinburgh hospital bed was dirty
Woman alleged room was 'horrific' with bloodstained swabs and bandages under beds, stains on the walls and blocked toilets
4/5/2019
Suit alleges women were secretly recorded in Calif. hospital
The hospital says the recordings were part of an investigation into drug theft
4/5/2019
Drones delivering medical samples at N.C. hospital
The partnership is part of a three-year Federal Aviation Administration pilot program to test practical applications for drones
4/5/2019
Some cleaning chemicals a hazard to medical devices
Use of some cleaning products could harm medical devices
4/5/2019
Managing violence in healthcare facilities
The first step to address workplace violence is knowing the provisions of state law
4/4/2019
Legionnaires’ confirmed in dead Calif. prison inmate
The Stockton facility is a hospital and a prison
4/3/2019
Four causes of recent Legionella cases
Establishing three prevention protocols can save lives
4/3/2019
Google Home, Amazon Echo finding place in operating rooms
The technology allows surgeons to devote less time and mental energy to device technicalities
4/2/2019
Healthcare design needs to accommodate AI technologies
Healthcare design must adapt to the billions of data-gathering devices and the trillions of data points collected daily
4/2/2019
Luxurious maternity hospital includes beauty treatments and new baby gifts
Keiai Hospital in Fujimi City also lends new parents iPads for pictures
4/2/2019
Disinfectant selection is essential for effective cleaning
Adherence to the manufacturer’s label instructions is also key
4/2/2019
Ebola outbreak spreads to another large city in Congo
Bunia is the second-largest city in eastern Congo to confirm a case during the current outbreak
4/1/2019
