Environmental Services - April 2020
Healthcare facilities learning agility during Covid crisis
Adjustments and innovation is helping almost every state is avoiding ICU bed shortages
4/30/2020
Technology applications for infection control
Locating and sensing services enables real-time tracking of medical equipment, staff and patients.
4/30/2020
Mold found in baby’s heart after surgery at Seattle Children’s hospital
The operating room where the baby had his procedure did not have a HEPA filter
4/29/2020
Regulations, Codes & Standards Q&A: Generators in an ambulatory surgery center
Brad Keyes discusses regulations for GFCI receptacles
4/29/2020
Plumbing upgrades focus on health and hygiene
Water conservation, less maintenance and improved hygiene are all popular targets of system improvements
4/29/2020
Keeping the lights on during COVID-19
Ventilators and other equipment essential to treating patients with acute symptoms of the virus depend on electricity to function
4/28/2020
Repurposing parking structures for COVID-19 patients
Fire and life safety requirements in parking structures are different from occupied spaces
4/28/2020
FDA says 4 million N95 masks could be reused
Emergency-use authorizations allow sterilizing and reprocessing N95 masks
4/27/2020
Pizza and takeaway donations to UK hospitals could 'compromise' infection control
Officials asked people to stop donating hot and fresh food deliveries as it increased ‘certain risks.’
4/27/2020
Flooring company creating personal protective equipment for healthcare workers
So far, two facilities have made 10,000 face shields and 5,000 gowns
4/27/2020
Cool roofs can promote energy savings
By reflecting heat, and emitting absorbed heat, they keep building cooling costs lower
4/27/2020
Five ways to minimize infection risks in a healthcare facility
In an emergency event, strict control of who’s entering the lobby needs to be maintained
4/24/2020
Real-time visibility into patient, staff and equipment locations takes safety and strategy to the next level
Searching for equipment is a consistent facility-wide challenge, and a major patient safety risk caused by distraction and delays in care delivery as staff hunts for missing items
4/24/2020
Some California nursing homes are using pillowcase masks and trash-bag gowns
Cleaning supplies are also dwindling
4/23/2020
Engineering firm produces reusable face shields for DC-area hospitals
Company offers sterile 3D printer patent for COVID applications globally
4/23/2020
Keeping your ice machine clean and safe
Ice machines provide a damp and dark environment which is ideal for mold to grow
4/23/2020
Tunable white LED lighting can offer energy savings
It also offers the chance to optimize the utility of your lighting system
4/23/2020
A greener environmental services department can have a wide impact
Green practices can increase environmental sustainability and improve patient care
4/23/2020
Convention center official charged with stealing N95 masks from New Orleans field hospital
He could face up to five years in prison
4/22/2020
2,000-bed coronavirus hospital being built in the Colorado Convention Center
Health officials hope to have the beds ready by the end of the month for people recovering from the new coronavirus
4/22/2020
Oklahoma hospital sets up tent for potential overflow
The tent is 19 feet wide and 20 feet long with a generator as well as heating and air units.
4/22/2020
Planning plumbing systems in healthcare facilities
With planning, managers can ensures the success of maintenance and upgrades of plumbing systems
4/22/2020
Michigan zoo donates meals, protective equipment
Binder Park Zoo staff donated medical supplies to Bronson Healthcare
4/21/2020
Research examines wastewater to detect community spread of coronavirus
Samples from a wastewater treatment plant serving a large metropolitan area found that the amount of SARS-CoV-2 particles in the sewage samples indicated a far higher number of people likely infected with Covid-19
4/21/2020
Minnesota volunteers pitching in making hospital supplies
Volunteers are manufacturing on home 3-D printers
4/21/2020
1,000-bed field hospital in Boston accepting coronavirus patients
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center transformed to temporary medical space
4/21/2020
Shuttered N.C. hospital reopened to deal with coronavirus overflow
The former Sandhills Regional Medical Center has rooms for 49 patients but could take up to 60 or 65
4/21/2020
Rhode Island is converting a former Lowe’s store into a coronavirus hospital
As many as 624 beds will be set up in the 140,000-square-foot building
4/20/2020
UV light offered to sterilize face masks for healthcare workers
Hospitals aren’t ready to jump on board yet
4/20/2020
COVID-19 reinventing how healthcare providers use mobile medical vehicles and RVs
Healthcare facilities are using specialty vehicles that are already built and upfitted for various medical uses and repurposing them to provide frontline support
4/20/2020
South Carolina expanding hospital capacity for coronavirus with three-tier plan
The surge plan is based on projections of 3,500 coronavirus patients being hospitalized in early May
4/17/2020
Disney Parks donates supplies to hospitals fighting coronavirus
Disney has donated 150,000 rain ponchos to MedShare
4/17/2020
McCormick Place hospital ready to accept patients this week
The facility includes 500 negative pressure tents
4/17/2020
Army Corps scales back size of field hospital in suburban Detroit
A 250-bed facility will be built inside the convention hall instead of the original 1,100-bed plan
4/17/2020
McCormick Place field hospital built in 5 days
Chicago convention center will eventually have 3,000 beds
4/16/2020
Soldiers, engineers building field hospital for coronavirus patients in Detroit
The upper floor will accommodate patients who require oxygen, but not a ventilator
4/16/2020
L.A. clinics lack safety supplies as coronavirus spreads
Facilities for the poor continue to face a shortage of test kits and medical equipment
4/16/2020
Transmission bacteria linked to hospital sink drain
Two patients with NDM-1 Klebsiella pneumoniae had stayed in the same room
4/16/2020
California children's hospital adds plexiglass protection to ER
Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego is seeing a drastic drop in the number of Emergency Room visits
4/15/2020
Inspections expected to focus on infection control, emergency preparedness
The Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General is expected to add COVID-19 topics to its annual work plan
4/15/2020
Lawsuit says hospital security guard prohibited from wearing mask
His supervisor allegedly berated him for wearing a mask, telling him it was against hospital policy
4/15/2020
New study demonstrates accuracy of Legionella detection test
Regular testing for Legionella pneumophila is the only way to be certain that a water management plan is working properly to prevent patient exposure
4/15/2020
Pandemic preparedness: How hospitals can adapt buildings to address worst-case scenarios
A Canadian healthcare architect looks at how hospital staff can act now to modify facilities and contain a pandemic
4/14/2020
Minnesota plans 2,750 hospital beds for ‘alternate care sites’
One site considered is a shuttered private prison in western Minnesota
4/14/2020
A 250-bed field hospital is being built inside Massachusetts’ DCU Center
Photo tour of construction posted on telegram.com
4/14/2020
CDC studies show drop in MDR bacteria, C diff in US hospitals
Infections caused by four multidrug-resistant organisms decreased in US hospitals from 2012 through 2017
4/14/2020
Plumbing strategies to reduce HAIs
Bacteria lurking in the plumbing pipes and fixtures can contribute to HAIs
4/14/2020
Lower-profile hospital workers worry about their COVID-19 risk
Many hospitals are struggling to obtain protective equipment
4/13/2020
CDC director says: 'This virus is going to be with us'
Re-embracing social distancing may be necessary
4/13/2020
Technology takes the top position in outbreak management
Cloud-based software solutions provide unified platforms where data from diagnostic tests can be gathered
4/13/2020
Librarian using 3-D printer to make equipment for healthcare workers
Public library’s printer is being used to create respirator masks
4/9/2020
3M says not sharing N95 masks could make the shortage worse
Millions of respirators are surfacing, but healthcare workers say they need more
4/9/2020
Ford, GE Healthcare to produce 50,000 ventilators by July
Car maker is using design from small tech company
4/9/2020
Nurses using baby monitors in the ICU
Healthcare workers want to limit risky interactions and preserve equipment already in short supply
4/9/2020
Minnesota looking for temporary hospital space
Officials are looking for large, vacant spaces
4/9/2020
Managing COVID-19 medical waste
The CDC has recommended that control of COVID-19 waste be handled through routine procedures
4/8/2020
Union alleges Calif. hospital risked coronavirus spread to workers
Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center in Riverside sent at least 10 employees home because they came in contact with a patient who had symptoms of coronavirus
4/8/2020
‘Healthcare facilities’ in N.J. to submit daily reports on capacity, supplies
Reports could include on bed capacity and availability of supplies, including personal protective equipment, ventilators
4/8/2020
Study says construction industry masks can be used for healthcare
Elastomeric half-mask respirators (EHMRs) provide the same level of infection protection as N95 respirators
4/7/2020
Green hospitals may be better prepared to deal with crises
Boston Medical Center monitors its energy use around the clock
4/7/2020
South Carolina hospitals set up outdoor tents to curb coronavirus spread
At Conway Medical Center, emergency patients entering through the emergency department now have to be screened in an outdoor tent before entering
4/7/2020
During a pandemic, hospital staffers urged to get better at hand-washing
Specific hand-hygiene standards for doctors, nurses and hospital staff are needed
4/7/2020
Maintenance insights to keep plumbing systems flowing
New-generation drain cleaning products offer efficiency and safety
4/7/2020
New York's Javits Center to be one of the largest hospitals in the country
There will be nearly 3,000 beds available
4/6/2020
Lessons from China’s temporary hospitals
The temporary hospitals are 10 times less expensive than building a new comprehensive COVID-19 care hospital
4/6/2020
Study: C. diff not affected by ultraviolet disinfection devices
Measuring the effectiveness of UV can be difficult
4/6/2020
Fake masks could put healthcare workers at risk
Healthcare facilities also contend with escalating costs, with some vendors raising equipment prices tenfold or more
4/6/2020
Upgrading plumbing systems can improve efficiency
Effectively diagnosing plumbing problems and performing successful upgrades can help minimize utility costs
4/6/2020
Hospital's housekeepers quitting over coronavirus safety issues
Environmental services workers say they are cleaning coronavirus rooms without proper gear
4/3/2020
CMS has redefined a hospital to include tents and dorm rooms
Hospital safety rules relaxed amid coronavirus
4/3/2020
US military is working to convert N.Y. buildings into hospitals in three or four weeks
The US Army Corps of Engineers is retrofitting hotels and dormitories
4/3/2020
Healthcare workers’ masks donated by Facebook were stockpiled after wildfires
Many healthcare facilities’ frontline workers don’t have the proper protective equipment
4/3/2020
Newly approved machine can decontaminate 80,000 respirator masks a day
The decontamination system uses vapor phase hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate the masks
4/2/2020
Healthcare facilities in Nebraska are experimenting with new equipment disinfecting technique
Ultraviolet light is being used to decontaminate medical supplies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha
4/2/2020
Applying lessons learned from 9/11 biodefense response to the COVID-19 pandemic
The most important lesson to learn is to fight the current war and plan for the next, but don’t fight the last war
4/2/2020
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center feeds the hungry with surplus food
Between July 2016 and the end of 2019, the program has produced 61,365 meals
4/2/2020
Coronavirus will affect not-for-profit hospitals for the longterm
Many hospitals are canceling profitable elective surgeries
4/2/2020
Shuttered hospitals reopening as COVID-19 spreads
State and local governments across the nation are rushing to reopen facilities
4/1/2020
How healthcare facilities can go green in 2020
Systems like Innova Health, Dignity Health and John Hopkins are even working to combat plastic pollution by eliminating plastic straws and switching to paper straws in their cafeteria facilities
4/1/2020
