Maintenance and Operations - April 2017
UPMC sued again for mold infection issue
Case is the seventh involving patients who died after contracting mold infections at UPMC hospitals
4/28/2017
Manchester cancer center fire sparks patient evacuation
Facility does not house patients, but is attached to the main hospital
4/28/2017
New power plant to save Baltimore hospital $750K per year
Baltimore Washington Medical Center's new power plant is also expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
4/28/2017
Healthcare facility design can support security
Healthcare organizations are urged to focus on security in facility design and planning
4/28/2017
Effective space programming can ease growing pains
New technologies and legislation mean that healthcare facilities often must change the way they deliver care
4/28/2017
Montana healthcare facility reviews security after fire
Surgeon’s home was destroyed by a disgruntled former patient
4/27/2017
VDI can boost IT security for healthcare facilities
Virtual desktop infrastructure solutions use an on-site or cloud-based data center to host an organization's files, data and applications
4/27/2017
Biofilm study found high contamination rates on dry hospital surfaces
Researchers collected samples from the hospitals after environmental cleaning procedures were done
4/27/2017
Virginia healthcare facility undergoes deep clean after bacterial infection outbreak
Six patients were infected with extended spectrum beta lactamase-producing Klebsiella
4/27/2017
Bringing from-scratch cooking into hospitals
Chef has introduced local sourcing and from-scratch cooking into healthcare and other institutional settings
4/26/2017
Don’t get caught in the dark, make sure your backup power is hurricane ready
May 15th through the 21st is Hurricane Preparedness Week.
4/26/2017
Staten Island ambulatory care facility built with modular construction
Project expected to significantly reduce construction waste
4/26/2017
Legionella risk management in cooling towers for protective care
Hospital buildings have multiple complex water systems, and since many people staying in hospitals already have a suppressed immune system due to illness, it greatly increases their risk for Legionella infection
4/26/2017
Anesthesia machine cover designed for OR infection control
Anesthesia machines may pose risk for exposure to pathogens
4/25/2017
Legislation would outlaw surgical smoke in Calif.
Bill that would mandate the use of smoke-evacuation systems
4/25/2017
Virginia healthcare facility adds restaurant-style food service
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital redesigns its 14,000-square-foot cafeteria
4/25/2017
Hacked healthcare records could harm patients
Experts say we need to be sure that these practices and products are better and not just creating potential for further resistance
4/25/2017
DMC Children’s Hospital passes follow-up investigation
Michigan healthcare facility no longer in danger of losing federal funding
4/24/2017
Finding pest activity in healthcare facilities
Environmental services departments need to be aware when pests are present
4/24/2017
Infection control 'partnerships' spark concern that industry is leading science
Experts say we need to be sure that these practices and products are better and not just creating potential for further resistance
4/24/2017
MRSA outbreak at UC Irvine hospital undisclosed for months
Outbreak sickened 10 critically ill infants over eight months
4/21/2017
Maintaining security systems during a merger
Because of the disorder that accompanies a merger or acquisition, healthcare facilities can be more vulnerable to security risks
4/21/2017
Real-time locating system can reduce patient wait times
System that uses small locating badges worn by both patients and employees
4/21/2017
Telemedicine saves rural hospital from bankruptcy
Idaho healthcare facility integrates tech-based approaches to care
4/21/2017
DC VA inspection reveals dirty sterile storage
$150 million in unaccounted for items and unavailable supplies was also found
4/20/2017
Ohio hospital asked to increase video monitoring after attempted rape of patient
Patient was attacked in psychiatric unit of ProMedica Defiance Regional Hospital
4/20/2017
Rehab center adds mocked-up marketplace, carpentry shop
Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre adds amenities to help patients recover from traumatic injuries
4/20/2017
Janitor training should be flexible for different facilities
Many healthcare facilities are installing luxury vinyl tile and people want to know how to take care of it
4/20/2017
Ignoring access management challenges can be expensive
Healthcare facilities should not rely on manual processes
4/20/2017
Site-specific pest management plan recommended
An integrated pest management plan can deal with pest issues before they become problems
4/20/2017
Virus sends N.Y. healthcare facility back to paper systems
A computer virus created an electronic health record outage
4/19/2017
Wireless access control offers range of potential benefits
Cost and ease of installation could benefit healthcare facilities
4/19/2017
Leapfrog's spring grades show improvement
Hospitals earned more A's and fewer Fs this spring
4/18/2017
Conducting effective infection control surveillance
Infection preventionists urged to 'pick their battles'
4/18/2017
Workplace investigations sensitive and important processes
HR professionals in the healthcare sector should have a solid plan in place when they begin an investigation
4/18/2017
Laughing gas leak leads to lockdown of Nevada hospital
A truck was delivering canisters to the hospital when the leak was discovered
4/17/2017
Robot disinfects ORs in two minutes
Abbreviated cycle time found to be enough for between-case surface cleaning
4/17/2017
Surprise inspection finds improper linen storage at Pittsburgh healthcare facility
Inspection of UPMC Shadyside hospital also revealed ventilation problems
4/17/2017
Md. hospital NICU reopens after investigation of Pseudomonas bacteria
The hospital invested more than $500,000 in a new water-treatment system
4/13/2017
Cleaning an artificial green wall
Artificial green walls are easier to clean and maintain than living green walls
4/13/2017
Building bridges between application developers and IT through cloud
Developers are the backbone of many businesses, and meeting their needs while also adhering to IT best practices requires strong management processes
4/13/2017
Switchboard fire leads to healthcare facility evacuation
Electrical fire at Canberra Hospital sparks political fallout
4/13/2017
Enterprise resource management drives Triple Aim compliance: Five keys to completing the quest
The three components of the Triple Aim complement and overlap the need to reduce enterprise risk.
4/13/2017
Roaches found (again) in New Orleans care facility
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals previously reported problems
4/13/2017
Study says clean scopes can sit for more than two weeks
Current guidelines say time should be limited to 14 days
4/12/2017
How I stopped worrying and learned to love the gateway
The four benefits of using a gateway in your IoT design
4/12/2017
Linen storage issues found at UPMC Shadyside
Surprise inspection uncovered clean and soiled linens were not stored according to standards
4/11/2017
System uses bacteria to purify water
A University of British Columbia-developed system that uses bacteria to turn non-potable water into drinking water
4/11/2017
Hygiene matters on World Health Day and beyond
Good hygiene is a joint effort that depends on hospital administrators and environmental services staff
4/11/2017
Cal/OSHA’s healthcare workplace violence rules take effect
Effective April 1, some employers must develop and implement a workplace violence prevention plan
4/10/2017
Pa. healthcare facility cited for using dirty scope
Crozer-Chester Medical Center allowed an improperly cleaned endoscope to be used in a surgical procedure
4/10/2017
CMS urges action on required emergency exercises
Medical facilities warned not to wait until fall to implement new emergency preparedness rule
4/10/2017
IoT usage in healthcare facilities
A recent paper examines some of the ethical considerations
4/10/2017
Detroit hospitals submit correction plans after inspection
CMS conducted an unannounced inspection at three Detroit Medical Center hospitals in January
4/10/2017
Healthcare facility hacked by ex-employee using two-year-old credentials
Justice Department charged man with one count each of felony hacking and wire fraud
4/7/2017
UK healthcare facility to save £9m with energy upgrade
New low-carbon energy center includes a combined heat and power (CHP) unit
4/7/2017
Ontario healthcare facility hydro bill up despite cutting energy consumption by 25 percent
The cost of energy represents less than one per cent of the hospital's entire budget
4/7/2017
Hospital installs bacteria-fighting operating room light fixtures
Lights reduce harmful bacteria, including MRSA and C-diff, up to 70% beyond routine disinfection
4/7/2017
Biopesticide could defeat bed bugs' insecticide resistance
New compound is based on Beauveria bassiana, a natural fungus that causes disease in insects
4/6/2017
Master planning healthcare wireless networks
Healthcare facilities should assess current and future needs
4/6/2017
Day-specific colored bedding used to improve hygiene
Color-coding can help ensure a sanitation plan is followed
4/6/2017
Aligning healthcare information security with physical safety
Dual security concerns involve different departments with different roles and responsibilities
4/6/2017
Healthcare facility says rising energy bills not affecting patient care
Energy bills at Health Sciences North went up by about $1 million over the past five or six years
4/6/2017
Some fear purple ring symbol in facilities could stigmatize dementia patients
A symbol that would be hung in or outside the room of a patient with dementia is intended to improve workplace safety in Manitoba health facilities
4/5/2017
Wireless cabinet locks facilitate hospital security
Managers need efficient ways to secure medical cabinets
4/5/2017
Amateur radio operators keep emergency communication going at Indiana hospitals
Though called amateur radio, professional first-responders are respectful of its role in their disaster-response plans
4/4/2017
Cutting risk of water-borne infections
The American Society for Healthcare Engineering suggests 10 steps to combat Legionella and other pathogens
4/4/2017
Tips for buying a whole-room disinfection system for an outpatient environment
Whole-room disinfection systems don't replace traditional cleaning methods
4/4/2017
Massachusetts hospital has launched an interactive map and virtual tour platform
The map, built by concept3D using its atlas3D platform, is navigable via desktop and mobile device
4/4/2017
Security at nursing home where sex assault occurred called 'non-existant'
Residents of nursing home in Buffalo, N.Y., were unaware convicted sex offender lived there
4/3/2017
Insiders linked to majority of February healthcare data breaches
Thirty-one healthcare breach incidents were reported in the month
4/3/2017