Environmental Services - June 2016
Gloves shown to transfer bacteria between surfaces
Study suggests gloves play role in transferring bugs
6/30/2016
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Preventing spread of common superbugs
Interventions can reduce the overall incidence of HAIs
6/30/2016
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Infection control credited for curbing MERS in dialysis unit
Surveillance and isolation interventions were conducted in a dialysis unit in Seoul
6/29/2016
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Internet of Medical Things exposes healthcare facilities' security weaknesses
With exposure to the Internet comes risk of hacking, viruses, malware and ransomware
6/29/2016
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Pasadena hospital deals with infection crisis
Three patients who died last year were infected with the bacteria after having procedures involving endoscopes
6/29/2016
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Infographic explores touchscreen hygiene in healthcare facilities
With everything from x-ray screens to ultrasound touchscreens to bedside portals, more screens pose more risk of spreading infection
6/29/2016
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Legionella found in Allegheny General Hospital water tanks
Patients and staff in the Snyder Pavilion and Cancer Center were told not to drink the water or use certain ice machines
6/28/2016
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Hospitals donate excess food to feed hungry
Practice Greenhealth partners with Feeding America on new hospital initiative
6/28/2016
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Healthcare facility retrofits deliver bottom-line benefits
Project challenges amplified by the need to protect the health and safety of patients
6/28/2016
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Penn. healthcare facilities equipped for mass shooting
Penn State Hershey would bear the brunt of treating victims from any mass casualty event in the area
6/28/2016
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Architect discusses technology’s role in improving healthcare
Healthcare Design asks architect Mary Frazier what in healthcare design has her attention at the moment
6/28/2016
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Pictures of bacteria increases hand-washing compliance
Staff members were shown pictures of bacterial colonies similar to those found on their skin
6/28/2016
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Healthcare facility mobile phone use may pose infection risk
Mobile phones can spread germs if hospital staff don't wash their hands after using them
6/27/2016
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Predictions for bump in healthcare cybersecurity threats realized
Data breaches in the healthcare industry have been steadily increasing
6/27/2016
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N.Y. healthcare facility restricts water use over Legionnaires' threat
Jamesville nursing home is not allowing residents to drink tap water
6/27/2016
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Hospital wins AHF NY second culinary competition
St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson wins Top Chef-style competition
6/27/2016
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Hospital constantly updates disaster-response plans
Indiana healthcare facility is becoming a verified level 3 trauma center
6/27/2016
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Narrow wavelength of UV light safely kills drug-resistant bacteria
Potentially safe and cost-effective way to reduce surgical site infections
6/27/2016
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Hospitable service can improve HCAHPS scores
Environmental services can play a supportive role in the patient experience
6/27/2016
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Gundersen Health System diverts 46 percent of its solid waste stream
Health system's recycling program is part of a larger mission and vision
6/24/2016
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Infection scare forces hospital to cancel almost 200 operations
Air filtration system, operating rooms are sanitized
6/24/2016
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Purchasing sterile processing equipment: The service partnership
It’s important to evaluate more than just pricing when purchasing expensive equipment
6/24/2016
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Seeing red for healthcare facility safety
Outpatient Surgery website lists ways the color red can be used to promote patient safety
6/24/2016
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Preparing a hospital communications system for an emergency?
Communication technology has advanced in recent years
6/24/2016
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Environmental services strategies for common superbugs
New materials can help improve patient care
6/23/2016
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Healthcare Internet of Things can improve patient care
Healthcare organizations are advancing their big data strategies by creating an ecosystem of data
6/23/2016
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Hospital food going upscale
Hospitals hire professional chefs and offer room-service dining
6/23/2016
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Pennsylvania patient sold heroin from hospital room
Man was arrested at Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg
6/23/2016
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AZ healthcare system reports exposure of employee information
Data security breach reported after a break-in
6/23/2016
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Hand-hygiene video tracks healthcare workers' hands
Video tracks all of the people and surfaces healthcare personnel touch in one day
6/23/2016
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'Ick factor' shown to boost hand-hygiene compliance
Visual cues will get healthcare workers to clean their hands more often
6/22/2016
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Germ-zapping robots boost OR infection control
Study shows 46 percent decrease in surgical-site infections after a Massachusetts hospital used disinfecting robots in its operating rooms
6/22/2016
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Healthcare facilities moving to microfiber mop systems
Benefits include cost savings, health and safety
6/22/2016
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Two new Elizabethkingia cases found in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Health Services says number of confirmed infections in the state is now 63
6/22/2016
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New healthcare facility flooring healthy for environment
New materials can help improve patient care
6/22/2016
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Security planning for healthcare facility emergencies
Patient-surge events can impact or even shut down a healthcare facility
6/21/2016
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Health system recognized with sustainability award
EvergreenHealth receives Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Award
6/21/2016
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VCU Health uses patient engagement cart to help tetraplegia patients
Patient engagement system supports a laptop directly overhead of immobile patients
6/21/2016
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Sustainable materials offer financial benefits
Green interior design can benefit the financial health of a healthcare facility
6/21/2016
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Plumbing systems should be simple and reliable
Know the requirements and technical challenges of the healthcare facility plumbing system
6/20/2016
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Aging population expected to create huge senior-care market
By 2020, 117 million Americans are expected to need assistance of some kind
6/20/2016
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Internet of Things is disrupting healthcare
Distributed healthcare is the idea that by physically de-centralizing healthcare services better care can be provided
6/20/2016
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Healthcare security in the 21st century
Many healthcare facilities have developed contingency plans in the event of a natural disaster or mass trauma
6/20/2016
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Healthcare security in the 21st century
Many healthcare facilities have developed contingency plans in the event of a natural disaster or mass trauma
6/20/2016
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Body-worn hand-hygiene system increases decontamination
Researchers tested intraoperative hand-hygiene method and personalized, body-worn hand-hygiene system
6/20/2016
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CDC offers guide to prevent Legionnaires' disease outbreaks
Better water management could have prevented the majority of outbreaks
6/17/2016
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Healthcare furniture getting techie
Some new products can monitor patients, facilitate maintenance
6/17/2016
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How to hire and retain a healthcare data security staff
Study says the difficulty in hiring and keeping security experts on staff hampers healthcare facility efforts to secure data
6/17/2016
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Utah hospitals with cleanest rooms ranked
Seventy-seven percent of patients report that their room was always clean
6/17/2016
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Patient warming methods/equipment tested
Forced air, heat reflective technology and warmed cotton blankets were compared
6/17/2016
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How healthcare facilities respond to mass shootings
Facilities have emergency/disaster plans for preparing their emergency rooms and trauma centers for a sudden influx of patients
6/16/2016
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Rethinking women’s healthcare facilities
The differences between men and women go beyond reproductive roles
6/16/2016
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White paper on energy savings available
'Energy savings — Realistic Expectations' downloadable from Medical Construction & Design website
6/16/2016
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Improved scope cleaning with enhanced visual inspection
Advanced technology and intentional visual inspection practices can greatly improve hospitals' processing quality
6/16/2016
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Off-site patients stay connected with wearable devices
Wearable medical devices and other technology can help patients stay on track
6/16/2016
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Toxic smoke protection for patients, staff urged
Toxic plumes in surgical smoke are a hazard to patients, surgeons, and nurses
6/15/2016
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Healthcare facility workflow improved by Internet of Things
Analyzed data can boost quality and efficiency
6/15/2016
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Many hospitals are banning flowers, balloons and stuffed animals
Some gifts are no longer welcome in many hospitals working to reduce the risks of infection and allergic reactions
6/14/2016
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Connecticut hospital uses a rooftop garden, local farming to boost patient satisfaction
New Milford Hospital champions food as preventive medicine
6/14/2016
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Kaiser Permanente shifting foodservice focus to health and wellness
Sustainable purchasing practices, room service and sous vide preparation are part of the plan
6/14/2016
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Ottawa hospital to install safety alarms after attack on nurse
Brockville Mental Health Centre is ordered to install electronic alarms, improve staff training and hire security guards
6/13/2016
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Healthcare foodservice game changers
The new normal is intense competition among healthcare providers
6/13/2016
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Eye care clinic's ultraviolet light systems prevent hospital acquired infections; promote IAQ
UV surface disinfection in St. Luke's Cataract & Laser Institute's surgery rooms and HVAC systems protect patients from infection during eye operations
6/13/2016
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Memphis VA cited after body tissue found in drain
An engineer pipe-fitter was exposed to body tissue while unclogging a drain
6/10/2016
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Healthy wireless signals in hospitals
Many leading hospitals are already embracing wireless technology as a means of enhancing both patient care and productivity
6/9/2016
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ICU noise levels can exceed standards
A new study shows that noise in the intensive care unit can go well above recommended levels
6/9/2016
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Protect networked IP cameras from cyberattacks
Poorly configured devices can offer an opportunity to gain entry into the network
6/9/2016
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Weighing the risks of OR surveillance
Secret videotaping of operations to catch a drug thief at a San Diego hospital has led to allegations of patient privacy breaches
6/8/2016
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Water restrictions, testing for legionella continue at N.Y. healthcare facility
Engineered filters on all shower heads, bottled water and bagged ice are being used
6/8/2016
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Water restrictions, testing for legionella continue at N.Y. healthcare facility
Engineered filters on all shower heads, bottled water and bagged ice are being used
6/8/2016
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Developing a floor-cleaning program for healthcare facilities
Key steps combine to make the process more efficient and extend the life of the floor
6/7/2016
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Sustainability in stand-alone healthcare buildings
Stand-alone medical buildings and specialized treatment facilities are engineering challenges
6/7/2016
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Hospital HVAC retrofit uses external facade return air ducts
Outdoor acoustic panel HVAC ducts look architectural, but are actually seven-story exhaust air riser ducts supplying three ERVs
6/7/2016
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Analytics alone don’t save money
Meaningful bottom-line results come from the implementation of recommendations identified by evaluating analytics. The change is a result of people and processes.
6/6/2016
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Hospitals with the quietest patient rooms
Data tracks HCAHPS surveys from July 2014 through June 2015
6/6/2016
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Healthy energy: Creating outage-resilient hospital facilities
An important step in increasing the resiliency of a healthcare facility is to connect its behind-the-meter energy assets, in order to monitor them around the clock and ensure they will perform as required in an outage
6/6/2016
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Hand-hygiene improvement urged for outpatient clinic
Study suggests improvements for infection-prevention practices
6/6/2016
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What's a healthcare facility's liability when a patient falls?
Strict policies can help reduce the risk of patient slips, trips and falls
6/3/2016
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Study looks at impact of sink location on hand-hygiene compliance
Study examines behavior after care of patients with Clostridium difficile infection
6/3/2016
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Using video monitoring to reduce patient falls
For a growing number of healthcare facilities, the right-size solution is a combination of technology and caregiver involvement
6/3/2016
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UF Health retrocommission, automation cut energy costs
Performance data helps healthcare facility save millions
6/2/2016
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White paper addresses healthcare facility cost-shifting
Three factors are impacting current state of healthcare services delivery
6/2/2016
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Violent crime in hospitals dropped in 2015
But research from the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety says assaults are up
6/1/2016
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UV light kills CRE in 15 minutes
Study looks at efficacy of using ultraviolet light on high-touch surfaces
6/1/2016
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Filter removes viruses from water
A paper sheet made by scientists at Uppsala University can remove resistant viruses
6/1/2016
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Healthcare groups launch 'green' purchasing co-op
Four health systems have partnered with two environmental organizations to compete with group purchasing organizations
6/1/2016
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