Environmental Services - July 2018
Family billed $800 to use regular ER sink
The eyewash station was too unsanitary and dirty to use
7/31/2018
Hospital cafeterias are offering more choices for quick snacks
Healthcare facilities focusing on healthy options
7/31/2018
Designing a chilled-water system for the future
Planning for changes as the system ages is critical
7/31/2018
Window film installation in hospitals can save lives, conserve energy
Some security window films have the added benefit of conserving energy by controlling the amount of sun that enters the building
7/31/2018
EPA updates disinfectant-testing guidelines
New rules are for products used by hospital environmental services
7/31/2018
FGI adjusts terminology for ’patients of size’
Facility Guidelines Institute cites safety concerns for change in language
7/31/2018
Balancing safety, peace with ferromagnetic security screening
Workplace violence is prevalent in mental health
7/30/2018
Making the most out of healthcare IT in an ambulatory care setting
The ambulatory environment presents unique challenges for many internal healthcare IT organizations
7/30/2018
South Bronx hospital installs anti-microbial cooling towers technology to fight Legionnaires
Deadly bacteria can proliferates in water systems like cooling towers
7/30/2018
Protecting cities from Legionnaires Disease
South Bronx hospital adopts new anti-microbial cooling tower technology to stave off Legionnaires Disease and other biological health threats.
7/27/2018
Fluorescent lamp recycling at medical centers
The complexities of medical center waste create issues for facility managers
7/27/2018
Legionnaires' outbreak at Minn. senior healthcare facility sickens two
Health officials seeking source of infection
7/26/2018
Technology's role in healthcare design, operations growing
A master plan that evolves with technology master plan is crucial
7/26/2018
Fixing IoT — How to stop poking giant holes in our defenses
Healthcare only industry in which internal actors are the biggest threat to an organization
7/26/2018
Report says healthcare's biggest security threats come from inside
Healthcare only industry in which internal actors are the biggest threat to an organization
7/26/2018
Clean, safe linens crucial for healthcare facilities
Healthcare facilities use accredited services to provide clean linen
7/25/2018
Portable cooling can be crucial in emergency situations
Providing cooling for a facility — whether in an emergency or for a special event — means managers must do their homework
7/25/2018
USP overhauls nonsterile compounding rules
What healthcare and pharmacy executives need to know — and do — before July 31, 2018
7/25/2018
Patients at more risk for C. diff at moderately full healthcare facilities
Study recommends reviewing protocols that might change based on occupancy
7/24/2018
Hospital lockdowns can leave patients isolated
Security precautions can affect uninvolved patients, visitors
7/24/2018
California hospital installs solar-storage microgrid system
Renewable energy microgrids can reduce hospitals’ energy bills by as much as 50 percent
7/24/2018
Hospitals using 'smart' technology to improve treatment, finances
Ohio's Wexner Medical Center using the latest technology to boost efficiency
7/24/2018
Woman who gave birth in Japan photographs hospital meals
Meals look more than restaurant-worthy
7/24/2018
N.D. hospital treats tornado victims days after opening
Watford City's new healthcare facility opened its doors nine days before EF 2 tornado hit
7/23/2018
27 Hawaii hospitals join for disaster drill
Hospitals from six islands simulate response to disaster
7/23/2018
Hurricane spurs ED re-do at Houston hospital
During the storm, the department got used to having smaller space
7/23/2018
Four ways to protect healthcare organizations and staff against workplace violence
Healthcare organizations need to create a culture that focuses on the healing environment
7/23/2018
Mass notification is only one part of emergency communications
System must be integrated with other technologies to form a holistic emergency communications plan
7/23/2018
Report finds Washington hospital put patients, staff at risk
Recent federal inspection supports claims that staff members were punished for speaking out
7/20/2018
Healthcare executives prioritizing sustainable cost control
Survey says cost and consumerism top list of concerns
7/20/2018
Rise in dementia leads to new food service options
Program addresses residents' potential malnutrition issues
7/20/2018
Queens hospital armed security guards first in NYC
Last year’s fatal shooting at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center accelerated program
7/19/2018
Hospital fire makes list of heartbreaking moments in Illinois history
Fire at old St. Anthony Hospital in Effingham was judged the 8th most heartbreaking moment
7/19/2018
Hospital ER nurses wearing security alarms
Assaults against emergency department staff at Middlemore Hospital have increased
7/19/2018
Tips for buying AI-based cybersecurity tools
AI can help mitigate cybersecurity risks by automating tasks and expertise
7/19/2018
Hospital buildings still operating despite safety warnings
South Auckland health officials were warned 18 years ago that buildings were earthquake-prone
7/18/2018
Healthcare innovations need cybersecurity support
The Department of Health and Human Services is exploring how to spur innovation and investment in the healthcare sector
7/18/2018
Tackling healthcare cybersecurity challenges
Many chief information security officers aren’t even close to having the tools they need to deal with cyberattacks
7/17/2018
Hospital patients require better food service and it's improving bottom lines
Factors such as a general uptick in health conscious consumers have put food service on the front burner
7/17/2018
Johns Hopkins evacuated due to possible TB exposure
A small amount of the tuberculosis bacteria may have been released while being transported
7/16/2018
Energy upgrades could save NHS 260m pounds annually
New research says the NHS trusts spend around £500 million a year on energy
7/16/2018
Blackout interrupts surgery at the women’s and children’s hospital
Non-urgent ambulance arrivals were diverted to two other facilities and 13 elective surgeries were postponed
7/16/2018
Boosting healthcare facilities' cybersecurity
Cybersecurity spending increased by nearly $74 billion in 2016
7/16/2018
Report finds healthcare lagging in cybersecurity protocols
The healthcare industry is one of the lowest performing industries in terms of endpoint security
7/16/2018
Environmental decontamination key to infection control
Surfaces that are clean and adequately disinfected are also a legal requirement
7/13/2018
New energy facility at London hospital expected to save 6,000 tons of carbon a year
The project is also guaranteed to save the hospital £1m per year in energy bills
7/13/2018
Designing healthcare facilities to curb violence
If nothing else, EDs should be designed in such a way that security staff can cordon off the entrance and access to the rest of the facility
7/13/2018
Gatesville hospital reopens after explosion
Texas Fire Marshals finish on-site forensic examination of the Coryell Memorial Hospital
7/12/2018
The key to healthcare emergency management: Facility managers
The emergency manager’s ability to leverage facility management knowledge and expertise determines success or failure in an emergency response.
7/12/2018
Prevention is better than cure when dealing with cyber threats
Cybersecurity designed for corporate environments don't address the requirements of the healthcare industry
7/11/2018
Damage-free sign labels for hospitals and research labs can support safety efforts
Customizable sign labels for interim life safety measures – can be removed cleanly from most surfaces, reducing repair and repainting
7/11/2018
Building envelope considerations for sustainable healthcare
Using smart glass can reduce glare, solar heat gain and nocturnal light trespass
7/11/2018
Fla. senior care facilities working to comply with new generator law
New state law requires nursing homes and assisted living facilities to have generators that can power air conditioning systems
7/10/2018
Addressing energy waste in the HVAC system
Smart building controls enable managers and technicians to uncover and address energy waste
7/10/2018
Eight cybersecurity tools your healthcare facility needs today
Many companies are simply not investing enough in IT security, despite the obvious threats
7/10/2018
Energy innovative supports sustainable healthcare design
The focus on energy efficiency has created shift in how healthcare buildings are designed, built and operated
7/10/2018
Ohio healthcare facility announces five-year sustainability plan
The plan has a range of social, environmental and economic goals divided into eight categories
7/9/2018
Bosnian hospital awarded grant for energy efficiency
The Zenica Cantonal Hospital is the second largest polluter in the city after the local steelworks
7/9/2018
Focusing on health and wellness in sustainable healthcare facilities
Nutritional foods and nurturing outdoor spaces are important features in sustainable healthcare design and operation
7/9/2018
Eliminating ligature risks in healthcare settings
Patient suicide ranks among the top three sentinel events, according to The Joint Commission
7/9/2018
Health system moves food service beyond tray line
Diet clerks virtually track nutritionals as the patients place their order, guiding them through their options
7/9/2018
Cancer center to pay $4.3m for three data breaches
Breaches blamed on stolen laptop, thumb drives
7/6/2018
Survey suggests security cameras do make campuses safer
The majority of hospital, K-12 and higher ed campuses have security cameras
7/6/2018
Safety alert after NHS patients choke on hash browns and peas
Patients allegedly given foods like hash browns and peas when they should have been on a special diet
7/6/2018
Assisted living facility installs water-, cost-saving toilets
San Francisco-based facility was experiencing complaints from both tenants and maintenance staff alike regarding clogged toilets throughout the facility
7/6/2018
Eight cybersecurity tools your healthcare facility needs today
Many companies are simply not investing enough in IT security, despite the obvious threats
7/6/2018
Trump rule could stop public reporting of hospital infections
Under the new rule, the CMS Hospital Compare website won't show the infections or safety measures
7/5/2018
Fighting environmental infection in long-term care facilities
Thorough facility-wide cleaning and disinfection is often the first line of defense
7/5/2018
Philadelphia hospital creates police drop-off lane for gunshot victims
Philadelphia is one of the few cities where police take stabbing and shooting victims to hospitals
7/3/2018
Check out this special supplement to Healthcare Facilities Today
Supplement includes stories on energy efficiency, lighting and infection control
7/3/2018
C. diff. cases fall 36 percent in Canada's hospitals
Improvements in infection-control measures, such as frequent hand-washing and more frequent, intense cleaning of hospital facilities in the last decade may have contributed
7/2/2018
Hand-washing monitor can help reduce hospital infections
Healthcare workers wear a badge that shows different lights that can let them know if their hands are properly sanitized
7/2/2018
Officers cleared in California hospital shooting
Officers fired six rounds at a man who shot through a glass door with a rifle and entered the hospital
7/2/2018
Is liquid soap safer than a bar?
The answer is no, according to a Q&A on The New York Times website
7/2/2018
Tips for hiring healthcare cybersecurity pros
Cybersecurity requires people from all backgrounds and majors
7/2/2018
