Safety - June 2017
Rural healthcare facility uses woodchip waste as heating fuel
Ripon Peace Memorial Hospital in Australia is heated solely from woodchip waste supplied from local sawmill
6/30/2017
The truth about disinfectant contact time
More providers are moving closer to potential patients
6/30/2017
Videos urge hospital staff to close the door on 'tailgating'
Boston hospital campaign reminds staff of safety training
6/30/2017
Study says healthcare facilities need pet therapy guidelines to limit infection
Without proper policies, pet associated infection risks may outweigh any benefits
6/29/2017
Complying with Joint Commission and CMS standards
Standards can offer a template for designing security programs
6/29/2017
Checklist for protecting your healthcare facility
A piece of the endoscopy equipment had a defect that may have prevented it from being properly disinfected
6/29/2017
Patients at Md. medical center may be infected by improperly cleaned equipment
A piece of the endoscopy equipment had a defect that may have prevented it from being properly disinfected
6/29/2017
Illinois hospital sued for red-winged blackbird attack
Suit says hospital knew it hosted aggressive birds in its landscaping but failed to block the path or post warning signs
6/28/2017
Bringing robust bandwidth support to a retirement community
The technology had to support 500+ residents with Wi-Fi-enabled Internet, and the behind-the-scenes patient management systems
6/28/2017
Adding a UV disinfection system to a healthcare cleaning routine
There are specific steps to creative an effective system
6/28/2017
U.S. Airmen may have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis due to contaminated scopes
135 patients were treated with improperly sterilized endoscopes at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar
6/27/2017
Healthcare security urged consider the impact of Sentinel Event Alert No. 57
The Joint Commission recently issued Sentinel Event Alert No. 57, 'The Essential Role of Leadership in Developing a Safety Culture'
6/27/2017
Healthcare facilities seeking their own 'Alexa' app
Voice recognition technology could save time, lives
6/26/2017
Study finds airborne pathogens live for 45 minutes
Queensland researchers have developed technique to study how some pathogens can spread
6/26/2017
Widow sues Olympus over scope-related superbug outbreak
Case is the first to go to trial in the U.S. stemming from a series of superbug outbreaks
6/26/2017
Tailored veterans home infection control cuts MRSA
Program led to a 64 percent reduction during first year
6/23/2017
Louisiana VA hospital cited for improper cleaning
OIG investigated the hospital's compounding pharmacy
6/23/2017
Two Legionnaires' case linked to hot tub at Florida senior facility
A third individual who showed signs of Legionnaires' disease later died, but his tests for the disease were negative
6/23/2017
Hospital floors are critical areas when it comes to cleaning
In rooms with a C. diff patient, floors were more likely to be contaminated with any of the three pathogens
6/23/2017
Minnesota hospital has seven security breaches in eight months
If further violations are found and aren’t fixed, Fairview can lose federal healthcare funding
6/22/2017
Deadly bacteria found in 37 percent of tested heater-cooler devices
CDC recommends hospitals notify patients who have had open-heart surgery in the last five years
6/22/2017
Study: Copper-impregnated surface has 80 percent reduction of contamination
The study examined the amount of microbial contamination on overbed tables
6/22/2017
Make health information available to facility visitors
Accessible information should be a priority for healthcare facilities
6/21/2017
Scope cleaning and sterilization processes leave instruments contaminated
Study finds sterilization process leaves instruments contaminated with debris, residue and bacteria
6/21/2017
Hospital tower to be inspected after London fire
Tower at Derry’s Altnagelvin Hospital among the buildings set to undergo an urgent fire safety check
6/20/2017
APIC 2017 Film Festival winner highlights hand hygiene
Providence Health & Services Alaska as the winner of its seventh annual competition announced
6/20/2017
Child dies after being left in Arkansas clinic van
Ex-employee said it was common practice to check the vans three times after children were taken off
6/19/2017
Interior design choices can support infection prevention
Style must be balanced with ease of cleaning
6/19/2017
Antiseptic manufacturers help make sense of FDA rules
The American Cleaning Institute will help infection control experts understand the pending Food and Drug Administration decision
6/19/2017
Employee background checks key to security plan
Background checks among the first items to get cut when money is tight
6/19/2017
Study says removing sinks from ICU cuts bacterial colonization
'Water-free' patient care can reduce the number of ICU patients colonized with gram-negative bacteria
6/19/2017
Hospital reviewing security after woman impersonates staffer
Indiana woman entered several restricted areas of the hospital
6/16/2017
Hospital to increase security after attack on surgeon
Victoria, Australia, has doubled funding for security in public hospitals after attack
6/16/2017
Whitepaper offers guidance on choosing the right disinfectant
"Researching the Right Disinfectant for Your Facility: Without Damaging Instruments or Surfaces" available on Infection Control Today website
6/16/2017
Calif. hospital closes surgical unit after mold is found in sink
Healthcare facility has no way to sterilize equipment
6/16/2017
CMS says healthcare facilities must develop water management policies to prevent Legionnaires'
CMS surveyors will review facilities' water management implementation policies, procedures and reports
6/15/2017
Ways to improve access for disabled patients
When we talk about increasing access for the disabled, we are talking about improving a particular environment that can be used by everyone in an inclusive way
6/15/2017
Two infants develop Legionnaires' following water births
Two infants delivered in Arizona were diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease in early 2016
6/15/2017
Bacterial outbreak in NICU linked to contaminated tap water
An investigation were associated with absence of point-of-use filters on faucets
6/14/2017
Pew urges Congress to reject ONC budget cuts
ONC needs more than the $38 million allocated to advance interoperability, EHR usability and patient safety, group says
6/14/2017
Preventing ransomware attacks in healthcare facilities
Simple steps can help protect from cyber threats
6/14/2017
N.J. healthcare facility settles OSHA workplace violence issues
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has withdrawn a general duty clause citation
6/13/2017
Sustainability focus transforms healthcare facility operations
Green building practices are also changing design and construction
6/13/2017
Study examines disinfectants effect on C. diff
Researchers compare effectiveness of four products
6/13/2017
Hospital patients require better food service and it's improving bottom lines
The fifth moment of The World Health Organization's Five Moments for Hand Hygiene is the most overlooked
6/13/2017
Too many Legionnaires' cases start in healthcare facilities, CDC says
After hotels, long-term care facilities and hospitals are the most common types of buildings associated with Legionnaires
6/12/2017
California hospital water system break causes four-day outage
Patients and staff were instructed to use anti-bacterial wipes for hygienic cleaning
6/12/2017
HHS says healthcare cybersecurity in 'critical condition'
A cybersecurity task force report included list of vulnerabilities
6/12/2017
Focusing on surface contact in hand hygiene
The fifth moment of The World Health Organization's Five Moments for Hand Hygiene is the most overlooked
6/12/2017
Infection control in longterm care facilities
A proposed rule would make major changes to improve the care and safety in longterm care facilities or nursing homes that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs
6/9/2017
Creating a superior washroom experience
Washrooms play a critical role in driving a positive perception of healthcare facilities
6/9/2017
How cloud-based asset management became essential to efficient healthcare operations
One of the cornerstones of modern healthcare management is the enterprise asset management (EAM) solution that keeps track of all the moving pieces and ensures that mission-critical equipment and technology are functioning and available when they’re needed
6/8/2017
The end of net neutrality will impact healthcare
Telehealth, cloud-based EHRs and remote monitoring connectivity could all be affected
6/7/2017
Hospital cutting food waste and cost
Providence Health trimming unnecessary food expenditures
6/7/2017
Infographic on 'clean and green' hospitals
Infographic looks at some of the top hospitals in the UK and around the world and how they have been built with the environment in mind
6/7/2017
OSHA investigates Minnesota ED after patient sexual assault
University of Minnesota Medical Center-Fairview has increased patient monitoring in the ED and enhanced video monitoring, among other changes
6/6/2017
Kansas lawmakers vote to allow healthcare facilities to ban guns
State law requires most public places to allow concealed firearms by this summer or install security at entrances to keep weapons out
6/6/2017
Summa Health relaxes controversial dress code
Female employees can skip pantyhose and wear open-toed shoes
6/6/2017
VA patients allegedly given trays of food with cockroaches on them
Administrators were aware that cockroaches were a 'persistent presence' at a veterans hospital in Illinois but failed to remove them
6/5/2017
Cool water as effective as hot for hand washing
New study found that cool water removes the same amount of harmful bacteria
6/5/2017
Yearlong survey tracks bacterial diversity in new hospital
Study focuses on the flow of microbes between patients, staff and surfaces
6/5/2017
The value of the cosmetic surgery market and how it is constantly changing
Facility professionals play a key and active role when it comes to contributing to the success of the cosmetic surgery industry
6/5/2017
Healthcare facilities review plans in response to Congo Ebola outbreak
Experts say healthcare providers should review their Ebola response plans now to avoid repeating past mistakes
6/2/2017
Hospital evacuation blamed on 'system fault with alarm'
Patients were wheeled out of Wishaw General Hospital in their beds after an alarm sounded
6/2/2017
Boston Medical Center food pantry feeding 7,000 patients a month
Healthcare facility has one of the first hospital-based food pantries
6/2/2017
Patients leaning toward outpatient facilities, technology
Hospital systems have begun to shift more capital spending to outpatient facilities to provide more cost-effective and convenient settings for consumers
6/2/2017
Hospital cleaning budget cuts blamed for superbug outbreak
The hospital has been forced to dramatically increase its cleaning budget
6/2/2017
Avoiding the hidden costs of environmental services staff injuries
Environmental services work-related injuries usually involve either exposure to harmful contaminants or musculoskeletal disorders
6/1/2017
Iowa healthcare facility prepares for helipad chopper crash
CHI Health Mercy Hospital staff tests procedures for responding to a medical helicopter crash
6/1/2017
Kaiser Permanente shifting foodservice focus to health and wellness
Sustainable purchasing practices, room service and sous vide preparation are part of the plan
6/1/2017