Infection Control - November 2017

12 Florida nursing home patient deaths ruled homicides

Patients died from environmental heat exposure after Hurricane Irma knocked out the power to the central air conditioning

11/30/2017



Interoperability lessons learned from disasters

Tragic events highlight the necessity for preparing healthcare facility information-sharing systems

11/30/2017



Gundersen Health credits smaller price increase to energy independence

System's 1.8 percent hike lowest in 20 years

11/30/2017



Tips for hiring healthcare cybersecurity pros

Cybersecurity requires people from all backgrounds and majors

11/30/2017



Study: C. diff mostly found in floor corners after disinfection

Study identifies sites where spores persist

11/30/2017



Telemedicine could be impacted by loss of net neutrality

Rural healthcare organizations could be hurt by policy changes

11/29/2017



A regular maintenance schedule protects flooring investment

Facility appearance ratings can drop by as much as 75 percent if floor shine makes a bad first impression

11/29/2017



Ontario healthcare facilities reducing carbon footprint

Province is investing in hospitals to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gases and redirect savings into patient care

11/29/2017



Healthcare facility design advancing safety standards

The standards are based on the concept of a highly reliable organization, which focuses on avoiding catastrophes in an environment where normal accidents can be expected, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website

11/29/2017



Choosing reusable vs. disposable underpads

Reusable underpads may offer cost savings and usability benefits to healthcare facilities

11/28/2017



Fla. nursing home says Irma deaths not staff’s fault

Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills sends letter to Congress says staff could't overcome lack of power to the central air conditioner

11/28/2017



Why your employees are the greatest risk to HIPAA compliance

Often, conversations about HIPAA violations center around technological issues. The remaining compliance violations are related to employee actions and behaviors.

11/28/2017



Las Vegas hospital offers lessons in disaster planning

The emergency room at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center responded to the recent mass shooting

11/28/2017



Parkland Hospital ER uses purple lights to improve patient flow

Consultants from Toyota worked on improving discharge time

11/27/2017



Arming security officers with tablets may boost productivity

Tablets can streamline processes, improve communication

11/27/2017



Maintaining security with contract cleaning staff

Improved and standardized security checks urged

11/27/2017



Door alarms can limit OR foot traffic

Excessive foot traffic can send contaminates into the sterile field

11/27/2017



48 hours after fire at Pa. senior facility, some residents were still missing

Residents were evacuated into bitter cold, and 27 were transported to hospitals

11/22/2017



Indiana hospital adopts recycling program for clean waste

Surgery generates about one-fourth of all hospital waste

11/22/2017



Hawaii hospital boosts security after dangerous patient escapes to California

'Pathological predator' managed to fly to California before being caught

11/21/2017



Va hospital cancels elective surgeries after particles found on equipment

Inova Fairfax Hospital found sandlike particles on sterilized surgical trays and instruments

11/21/2017



Ottawa Hospital plans new unit for preemies

The renovations and expansion will provide more space, which will allow for single rooms

11/21/2017



Study finds copper surfaces in fitness and healthcare facilities reduce bacteria

Inova Fairfax Hospital found sandlike particles on sterilized surgical trays and instruments

11/21/2017



Study: US hospitals' HAI risk down 22 percent

Results suggest that national efforts to prevent healthcare-associated infections are succeeding

11/21/2017



The foundation to build an interoperable ecosystem: APIs

Short for Application Programming Interfaces, APIs are like connectors that allow you to access information on your application or software.

11/20/2017



Energy project creates savings for Oxford hospitals

The new engine, boilers and heat pipe link between two facilities has already saved the NHS trust £231,000 in its first month

11/20/2017



Indiana hospital starts own police force

Community Hospital Anderson formerly relied on officers from local communities

11/20/2017



PCI FAQs and myths

Without a secure infrastructure to protect their sensitive information, patients risk having their financial information and even their identities stolen

11/20/2017



San Juan VA hospital sheltering veterans after hurricane

In many instances the VA has kept people after they were stabilized, because they had nowhere else to go

11/17/2017



DC VA cancels surgeries over concerns about surgical equipment

The surgical devices were discolored and may have been subjected to an overabundance of cleaning solution

11/17/2017



Nashville hospital to end inpatient care

Nashville General Hospital is the the city’s only safety net hospital

11/17/2017



Reasons why telehealth is gaining momentum

New bills in Congress are helping the implementation of telehealth programs

11/17/2017



Oregon hospital working to change perception of hospital food

About 80 percent of food served at St. Charles Prineville is for medical staff, friends and family of patients, and the general public

11/17/2017



Report explores emergency preparedness for healthcare facilities

White paper focuses on the role of facility management during emergency events and for CMS compliance

11/17/2017



VA too 'male-centric,' female vets tell N.J. legislators

Vets says hospital feels more like a strip club than a medical center

11/16/2017



Infographic: Healthcare facilities should use the cloud

Anything that can make a facility leaner, more efficient and more effective can make a huge difference

11/16/2017



Cybersecurity white paper available

In recent years, cyber threats have become increasingly sophisticated

11/16/2017



The deadline is today: Is your emergency communications plan ready?

The CMS rule is enforceable as of Nov. 15, 2017

11/15/2017



Environmental sustainability called vital to better health and lower health costs

Reducing the carbon footprint and taking a lead on environmental sustainability can lead to major cost savings

11/15/2017



Maine VA facility garden gives veterans fresh food

VA Maine Healthcare System has been providing fresh fruit and vegetables for veterans for five years

11/15/2017



Florida nursing home now in compliance with emergency generator directive

Facility had been called out for failing to submit plans to the Agency for Health Care Administration

11/15/2017



Va. health system works to improve cleaning protocol uniformity

Sentara Healthcare recently initiated a campaign to assess the practices used to clean patient rooms

11/14/2017



Getting the “Full View”: Four critical building automation system considerations for healthcare executives

The building automation system (BAS) is the primary backbone for energy savings in a hospital

11/14/2017



White paper on infrastructure best practices available

Paper offers advice for organizations that both own and operate their own data centers

11/14/2017



Chicago hospital sues Leapfrog over ratings

Saint Anthony Hospital alleges agency knowingly used incorrect info to lower grade

11/13/2017



Healthcare security: A prescription for strengthening audit trails, streamlining credentials and improving patient experience

More facility administrators are sending staff to training classes to get up to speed on the latest guidelines

11/13/2017



Staff training unravels healthcare reimbursement issues

More facility administrators are sending staff to training classes to get up to speed on the latest guidelines

11/13/2017



Cybersecurity, digital failures called top hospital hazards

The ECRI Institute releases its list of top healthcare technology hazards for 2018

11/13/2017



Va. health system works to improve cleaning protocol uniformity

Sentara used structured interviews to begin developing a consistent cleaning and disinfection protocol

11/13/2017



Vanderbilt University Medical Center deploying germ-killing robots

The medical center’s first inpatient area to utilize the germ-killing robots will be its burn center

11/10/2017



New weather data technology can raise alarm ahead of extreme events

Advance location alerting helps leaders know when to trigger emergency response plans

11/10/2017



Research links disinfectant to hospital staff health problems

Cleaning products containing a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid and acetic acid can trigger problems

11/9/2017



Boston healthcare facility growing produce for patients

Boston Medical Center workers have started a garden on a hospital roof

11/9/2017



Transforming the digital experience in healthcare

Digital transformation might be more complex in healthcare than any other industry

11/9/2017



The ABC of FHIR: Reinventing interoperability

FHIR is the latest standard to be developed under HL7 and is expected to contribute significantly to improving patient care, countering the barriers to interoperability, boosting information sharing, and unboxing innovation in healthcare

11/8/2017



Little-known IoT security issues shouldn't be ignored

Unfixable equipment, absent processes, platform questions and lifecycle management are just some of the challenges

11/8/2017



Could technology have prevented Carolinas HealthCare System’s $6.5 million lawsuit?

Healthcare facilities are required to accurately represent the services they are providing to patients

11/8/2017



Houston hospital still closed after Harvey

HCA Healthcare reported $140 million in lost revenue in the third quarter from hurricanes Harvey and Irma

11/7/2017



Hospitals urged to be ready for 5G connectivity

Policies must evolve to allow the tech to reach full potential

11/7/2017



Leapfrog releases fall 2017 hospital safety grades

Of the more than 2,600 hospitals graded, 832 earned an A

11/7/2017



Comprehensive strategies to ensure infection control and cleanliness

As best practices for cleaning healthcare facilities continue to evolve, researchers are paying increased attention to the role that the environment plays in the development of HAIs

11/7/2017



Elderly couple dead after shooting at Ontario hospital

Two officers discharged their guns during the incident

11/7/2017



Curbing Clostridium difficile with patient hand hygiene

A new study has found that increasing the patient’s involvement in hand hygiene can positively impact whether they contract the infection

11/6/2017



Critical building automation system considerations

The building automation system (BAS) is the primary backbone for energy savings in a hospital

11/6/2017



Using light to disinfect mobile devices

A researcher at the University at Buffalo is using existing technology to create a device that uses light to kill germs on mobile devices

11/6/2017



Role of contaminated handheld electronic devices in infection transmission

One category of handheld devices exponentially increasing and predicted to continue increasing in healthcare, is mobile electronics

11/6/2017



Texas arson suspect tries to escape through hospital ceiling

Staff could see the ceiling sink under man's weight as he crawled around

11/3/2017



Healthcare facilities are part of the future of sustainable infrastructure

Communities need sustainable infrastructure that offers solutions that can keep up with contemporary climate challenges

11/3/2017



Document storage systems: The role they could play in healthcare

Document storage systems offer a method for continuing the healthcare provider efficiency gained during the years of the Affordable Care Act

11/3/2017



Pediatricians urge patients to bring their own toys

Suggestion linked to controlling spread of germs in waiting rooms and exam rooms

11/3/2017



Elements of a successful RCM process

The revenue cycle management (RCM) process is one of the most important parts of a functional and efficient healthcare facility

11/3/2017



Mayo Clinic cashiers vote to join union

The 26 cashiers voted to join SEIU Healthcare Minnesota

11/3/2017



Los Angeles hospital to close, cites costs of retrofitting

California law requires medical facilities in the state to meet certain seismic standards by Jan. 1, 2030

11/2/2017



Band aid found in au jus at Colorado hospital cafeteria

UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center officials said steps have been taken to ensure it does not happen again

11/2/2017



Dublin hospital ordered to install sprinkler system

The National Children’s Hospital has been ordered to install sprinklers across all floors of the hospital following an appeal to An Bord Pleanála

11/2/2017



What to know about the CMS emergency preparedness rule's communication plan requirement

The deadline for compliance is November 15, 2017

11/2/2017



Strategies for whole-room disinfection

Efficiency is important with limited time and resources

11/2/2017



Hygiene, isolation protocols urged in pediatric office

Researchers recommend against having stuffed animals in the common areas as they are difficult to clean

11/2/2017



Mississippi hospital, nursing homes use emergency plans to respond to water alert

The hospital emergency department is working with health officials to watch for any signs of a disease outbreak

11/1/2017



Florida cities want assisted-living centers to have backup power during outages

Push comes after a nursing home in Hollywood overheated, leading to 14 deaths

11/1/2017



How healthcare facilities can adjust to NFPA 70E 2018 revisions

Electrical equipment supplying power to medical facilities carries dangerous threats that may lead to serious injury or death

11/1/2017



Evidence-based design solutions can be applied within the correctional health environment

It’s important that treatment spaces in prisons and jails be designed for effective care delivery while meeting the safety and security needs, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website

11/1/2017



Virginia healthcare facility installing solar panels

Carilion's New River Valley Medical Center is getting around 4,000 solar panels

11/1/2017



 
 
 


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