Maintenance and Operations - March 2017
Active incident training must go beyond a focus on active shooters
Immediate entry and fast-moving tactics now constitute the majority of active shooter training
3/31/2017
Boosting healthcare facilities' cybersecurity
Cybersecurity spending increased by nearly $74 billion in 2016
3/31/2017
Course offered on planning for biosafety environments
Course aims to revolutionize the design, construction, management and delivery of environments where infectious disease needs to be controlled
3/31/2017
Tips for better healthcare cybersecurity
Culture change can help providers improve their healthcare cybersecurity measures
3/30/2017
Mass. healthcare facility installing rooftop solar array
Countryside Health Care of Milford will construct a 261 kilowatt rooftop solar array on the rehabilitation facility
3/30/2017
Commercial laundries lauded for safety
Op-ed says commercial laundries serve hospitals safely and effectively
3/30/2017
Security staff saves man who set himself on fire in Detroit hospital
Man walked into Beaumont Hospital’s Dearborn pharmacy with a two liter soda bottle of gasoline
3/29/2017
Advances in energy management changing systems
Building automation also changing energy investments
3/29/2017
Chefs looking at healthcare positions for challenges, benefits
When healthcare took hold, an increasing number of chefs with formal training have joined food services
3/29/2017
Ohio hospital security officers suspended after detaining visitor
Incident leads to suspensions after video was released
3/27/2017
FBI offers updated active-shooter planning document
Document expands on 'Active Shooter Planning and Response in a Healthcare Setting'
3/27/2017
How to hire the best security officers
The quality of the staff is the best indicator of an effective department
3/27/2017
Energy resilience bank focusing on hospitals
Bank will help four New Jersey hospitals stay up and running during outages
3/27/2017
Topeka VA battling bed bugs
Patients from the psychiatric recovery and wellness program on the building's first floor were relocated
3/24/2017
360 degree photo spheres used to capture information for healthcare facility
Minneapolis medical center uses panoramic photos to maintain building
3/24/2017
How to better manage energy use
Connected the dots between energy improvement and reduction of pollutants
3/24/2017
Kansas healthcare facility hires infection-fighting robot
Olathe Medical Center uses ultraviolet light to disinfect hospital rooms
3/24/2017
Few nursing homes use isolation procedures to control superbugs' spread
Skipping isolation precautions may place other residents at risk
3/24/2017
Mass casualty mitigation strategies
A good offense can improve response to an active shooter
3/23/2017
Green cleaning's effect on indoor air quality
Look for products that are green certified by at least two certification organizations
3/23/2017
Healthcare facility professionals mark Patient Safety Awareness Week
Patient safety responsibility extends to every department
3/23/2017
Death of patient who hit hospital security guard ruled a homicide
Autopsy results showed the man died as a result of traumatic asphyxiation caused by the position in which he was being held
3/22/2017
Tips for reducing exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other infectious diseases
Prevention measures include the proper handling and disposing of linens and wastes
3/22/2017
Is healthcare cleaning a special case?
Many companies offer specialist cleaning and hand hygiene solutions for the healthcare sector
3/21/2017
New prevention methods for Clostridium difficile on a horizon
Prevention relies partially on infection control efforts
3/21/2017
Hospital food service aide gave young patients a Christmas surprise
Cafeteria worker saved all year and spent nearly $5,000 on around 1,300 toys
3/21/2017
Modern surveillance technologies can improve decentralized healthcare security
Security professionals rely on their surveillance system to help them monitor indoor and outdoor spaces
3/20/2017
Hospital floors often overlooked when it comes to infection control
Floors in patient rooms are often contaminated with health care-associated pathogens
3/20/2017
Inspectors find safety issues at Montana hospital
Hospital did not eliminate environmental risks for suicidal patients
3/20/2017
New technology and approaches to cut lab energy use
Lab research facilities are energy intense building types due to the vast amounts of 100 percent outside air required
3/20/2017
Boiler problems cause evacuation of Pennsylvania healthcare facility
Patients at Consulate Health Care of Cheswick were displaced for several hours
3/20/2017
Patient with gun admitted to ICU, bypassed security
Woman shoots, kills herself at Florida hospital
3/17/2017
Manufacturer changing how sinks work in hospitals
It has no faucet, knobs or levers and is designed to reduce splashing
3/17/2017
Connecticut healthcare facility increases efficiency
Windham Hospital in Willimantic was recently honored for energy initiatives
3/17/2017
Safety concerns raised before hospital roof collapse
Concerns about the structural safety at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, where a section of the roof collapsed, were raised by a legislator
3/17/2017
Hospital says facility smoking ban forces patients onto dangerous roads
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which sets guidance for clinical practice, states that hospital premises, including the grounds, should remain smoke-free
3/16/2017
Data disaster recovery planning key for healthcare facilities
HIPAA-covered entities are required to have a contingency plan
3/16/2017
Healthcare facilities can be compromised by malware that infects medical devices
Insecurable medical systems provide a target for identity thieves
3/16/2017
Study finds air quality can impact effectiveness of antibiotics
Bacteria that cause respiratory infections can be affected by air pollution
3/15/2017
Full-scale patient room mock-ups help designer see flaws
Patient-care scenarios can be simulated to make sure the design provides an workable space and healing environment, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
3/14/2017
Study says healthcare facility floors can harbor pathogens
Many items in patient rooms can come in contact with the floor, and germs can spread to hands
3/14/2017
Many hands: Team building may boost hand washing
Study suggests a cohesive team will have improved compliance
3/14/2017
Standardized security technologies urged for healthcare campus
Facilities with strict, consistent specifications can improve safety and cut costs
3/13/2017
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta: Navigating a better patient experience
Mobile wayfinding application instrumental in designing and delivering a personalized patient experience
3/13/2017
Materials management supported by efficiently designed spaces
Nurses can spend 20 percent or more of their total time performing fundamental materials management tasks
3/13/2017
Patient room floors, sinks could be contaminated with bacteria
Infection risks may be overlooked by infection control efforts
3/13/2017
Human capital management for the healthcare industry: What to look for
Healthcare organizations need to locate and manage talent that will support their unique operational objectives
3/13/2017
Hospital floors may be spreading germs more easily than believed
Germs can move quickly from floors to high-touch surfaces
3/10/2017
Madison hospital makes eating healthy easier
The effort began with the removal of sugar-sweetened drinks and deep-fat fryers
3/10/2017
Report predicts healthcare facilities to increase IT security spending
A majority of survey respondents are without adequate data security controls
3/10/2017
Technology advances fuel demand for new healthcare equipment
How to finance new equipment in 2017
3/10/2017
Study explores superbugs found in healthcare facility sinks
Bacteria spreads from drainpipes to patients in stages
3/9/2017
Big Data can support infection control
Healthcare facilities can use Real Time Location Systems to track visits to hand hygiene stations
3/9/2017
$1.2 million of equipment stolen from Toronto hospital
The hospital’s video surveillance footage shows the suspects used suitcases to transport equipment
3/9/2017
Texas hospital ready for hazardous material emergencies
Parkland Memorial Hospital decon unit deals with chemical exposure situations
3/9/2017
Texas hospital employee says stealing was 'easy'
Employee allegedly stole $400k of medical equipment from Christus Santa Rosa Hospital
3/8/2017
Maximizing BIM use in healthcare facility operations
White paper says not all facilities are putting BIM to use
3/8/2017
Pre-fab bathroom pods deliver luxury to go
The Christ Hospital Joint and Spine Center plugged in high-end modular bathrooms as part of its tight construction schedule
3/7/2017
Drug disappearances at VA hospitals investigated
VA drugs losses rose tenfold between 2009 and 2015
3/6/2017
Innovations curbing healthcare facility infections
Lighting and antibacterial surfaces helping to reduce harmful microrganisms
3/6/2017
Height-adjustable bathroom fixtures can make life easier for people with mobility challenges
Fixtures have been designed to allow quick and easy height and position adjustability
3/6/2017
Steps to prevent health facility violence
Risk management expert urges zero tolerance culture
3/3/2017
Flint healthcare facility ordered a second time to address Legionella issues
Michigan health officials told McLaren Flint Hospital to correct conditions to reduce the presence of bacteria
3/2/2017
Survey suggests better supply chain management supports patient safety
A quarter of hospital staff with 'good' processes have seen or heard of expired product being used on a patient
3/2/2017
Lawsuit linking sixth death to UPMC mold names third facility
A third wrongful death lawsuit was filed in connection to a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center mold outbreak
3/1/2017
Dispute over hospital defects resolved
Embattled South Australian hospital will open within months
3/1/2017