Environmental Services - August 2015
Personal clothing tied to infections in NICU
Respiratory syncytial virus can be spread from caregivers' and visitors' clothes
8/31/2015
Natural disaster infographic
Eastern Kentucky University offers data hospital safety problems during times of natural disaster
8/31/2015
Facility professionals can have key role in mergers
Facility directors should be positioned to thrive after the announcement of a merger or acquisition
8/31/2015
Texas hospital may lose funding due to safety concerns
Federal judge may intervene in plans to cut funding to a North Texas psychiatric hospital
8/28/2015
Q&A on calibration gas cylinders
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on calibration gas cylinders
8/27/2015
Okla. hospital forced to close ORs due to faulty air handling system
Surprise inspection from CMS finds high humidity in the hospital's central sterilization room
8/26/2015
Australian hospital's energy efficiency project criticized
Government priorities questioned after $3.3 million was set aside for improved energy efficiency at Canberra Hospital
8/26/2015
Entry mats can help maintain greener facility
Without high-performance entry mats installed, a facility cannot be LEED certified
8/26/2015
Conservation's value more than financial
Energy-management initiatives can build enthusiasm among patients and employees while raising the profile of health systems
8/26/2015
Improving patient care with IT
Most Wired Innovator Award honorees are using IT in innovative ways
8/25/2015
Study backs sound panels for reducing noise in hospitals
Scientists are trying to reduce the amount of noise which is often double what it should be
8/25/2015
Montefiore Health System cuts energy use with sustainable initiatives
Montefiore Medical Center has the longest running cogeneration facility of any New York City hospital
8/25/2015
BIM can streamline healthcare facility management
The model information can be used for commissioning, maintenance, refurbishing and end-of-building-life decisions
8/25/2015
Advanced nurse call systems becoming standard equipment
Real-time locating systems can offer new work flow functions
8/25/2015
Duress procedures should be reviewed as violence increases
Systems may be antiquated, incomplete or not properly functioning
8/24/2015
Proactive maintenance decisions can lesson future problems
Predictive maintenance techniques can determine the condition of assets and predict when maintenance should be performed
8/24/2015
Researchers urge best practices for hospital cleaning, infection control
Study identified several favorable ways 'high-touch surfaces' in hospitals can be cleaned
8/24/2015
Calgary hospital battling wasps in courtyard
Patient stung 25 times while walking near facility
8/21/2015
Hospital installing one of the Australia's largest solar rooftop arrays
Canberra Hospital is adding a 500-kilowatt solar system and installing LED lights
8/21/2015
California hospitals with cleanest rooms
Eighty percent of patients reported that their room was always clean
8/21/2015
Staying informed of healthcare crime trends
Staying informed of trends in healthcare crime is an important part of planning and maintaining a successful security program
8/20/2015
When's the right time to purchase healthcare equipment?
Rapid medical technology innovation makes the question more complicated
8/20/2015
Incident management technology key to accreditation readiness
A major aspect of the accreditation process is the evaluation of the hospital's emergency process
8/20/2015
Q&A on corridor projections
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on corridor projections
8/19/2015
Naval hospital gets seismic retrofit project to improved ability to withstand quake
Naval Hospital Bremerton safeguards the core building with shock absorbing inertia dampeners
8/18/2015
Inventory management tips for healthcare facilities
Inventory management in healthcare facilities is especially critical
8/18/2015
Montreal hospital closes play structure after injuries
Montreal Children's Hospital sculpture was recently installed in lobby area
8/18/2015
Mumbai doctors hire private security after patient attacks
Doctors can dial a special number to mobilize security men to reach a trouble spot within nine minutes
8/18/2015
Concerns raised over cleanliness at Derry hospital
Monthly environmental cleanliness audit revealed low or no scores
8/17/2015
Study finds lack of evidence as to which cleaning method is the best
Among promising cleaning tactics for reducing healthcare-associated infections, there was no clear winner
8/14/2015
New technology can affect fall prevention
Design changes and material selection can help prevent falls
8/14/2015
Healthcare facility moisture levels can impact energy costs
Relative humidity levels are an often overlooked factor in HVAC systems
8/13/2015
Patient-centered hospital environment extends to audio
Trend to private rooms, patient-controlled audio supports care, quality
8/13/2015
Q&A on ozone machines
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on ozone machines
8/13/2015
Accident threatens water pressure at Georgia hospital
DeKalb County area experienced a major loss of water pressure and was under a boil water advisory for four days
8/12/2015
Air filter mistakes can create unsafe conditions
To ensure the best air filtration for a healthcare facility use filters with a MERV-A rating that matches the requirements
8/12/2015
Plans to privatize Louisiana hospitals' police shelved
Biomedical Research Foundation is reconsidering its plan to privatize the University Health police force at its hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe
8/11/2015
$5.2 million in repairs urged for Ohio hospital parking garage
The nearing 50-year-old garage has numerous structural problems including damage and corrosion to concrete slabs, beams and columns and steel beams
8/11/2015
California hospitals try to conserve water in drought
Hospitals have untapped potential to help the state fight its ongoing drought
8/10/2015
Hospital closes wing due to safety issues
Guam Memorial Hospital wing seen as vulnerable to collapse
8/10/2015
New Delhi dealing with excess bio-medical waste
Inefficient handling of toxic stockpiles remains a challenge for India
8/10/2015
Making healthcare facilities climate resilient
Designing for future disasters and weather extremes can be a challenge because it requires a lot of hypothesizing, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
8/10/2015
U.K. healthcare facility reacts to fourth scabies outbreak in a year
Care home replaces all bedding and brings in a specialist to carry out an additional deep clean
8/7/2015
Pennsylvania healthcare facility to expand 'hospital farm'
St. Luke's University Hospital farm will double in size from five to 10 acres
8/7/2015
Survey says ES managers getting increased responsibilities
Compensation levels for environmental services managers are also rising
8/6/2015
Hospital closed emergency room after flood cuts power
A burst underground pipe caused the basement of the Royal Berkshire hospital in Reading, England, to flood
8/6/2015
Q&A on smoke compartment barrier doors
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on smoke compartment barrier doors
8/6/2015
Texas hospital says issues will be fixed before Medicare and Medicaid contract is terminated
Government has notified Good Shepherd Medical Center that its contract will be terminated unless it addresses issues including nonsterile surgical instruments
8/5/2015
Flashback photo: 1949 Illinois hospital fire kills 74
Tragedy leads to national fire safety improvements
8/5/2015
Survey reports hospitals' green challenges
Health Care Facilities Sustainable Operations Survey says the No. 1 challenge in implementing sustainability initiatives is competing investments and spending priorities
8/5/2015
NIOSH probing cleaning product exposure
Researchers will study the types of exposures and the levels at which cleaning products trigger respiratory issues
8/5/2015
AirBNB-style company could change healthcare
Software allows different hospitals within the same healthcare system to share expensive surgical equipment
8/4/2015
U.K. hospital asks staff to give up toasters and kettles to reduce fire risk
Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary's fire alarm problems mean workers at the hospital are also making hourly safety checks
8/4/2015
Reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections
Effective cleaning along with appropriate disinfection practices can reduce infection transmission in the healthcare setting
8/3/2015
Hawaii hospitals installing solar panels
Kaiser Permanente Hawaii adding first photovoltaic system as part of energy savings initiative
8/3/2015
Hospital supply chains struggle with superbug issues
Hospitals stocking up on supplies to fight potential outbreaks
8/3/2015
A smart equipment maintenance plan can cut costs safely
Improving equipment maintenance and repair processes could help healthcare facilities with their bottom lines
8/3/2015
Poughkeepsie healthcare facility adds dial-up room service
Vassar Brothers Medical Center patients can chose and order meals from a customized menu and eat when it suits them
8/3/2015
Tech should be an early focus of a nursing home project
Developers of long-term and post-acute care facilities must invest in a full range of cutting-edge technology in their buildings
8/3/2015