Sustainable Operations - November 2018

Wildfire evacuee shelters hit by viral outbreaks

Cleanup crews work to curb spread of sickness with a powerful chemical disinfectant

11/30/2018



Healthcare worker protection: The key to pandemic containment

Prioritizing the protection of healthcare workers can ensure a resilient frontline defense

11/30/2018



Intelligent ventilation system enables creation of energy-efficient 'Smart Labs'

UC Irvine developed 'Smart Labs' with demand control ventilation systems

11/30/2018



N.Y. hospital institute new security policy for visitors

Security officers have been stationed at all entrances to help guide patients and visitors

11/30/2018



Chicago hospital’s training, preparation praised after fatal shooting

The staff only recently had reviewed how to respond to an active shooter

11/29/2018



Children return to Wanaque facility where 11 died in adenovirus outbreak

Three children have been returned, with their families' permission, after recovering at area hospitals

11/29/2018



Healthcare facility noise pollution can impact quality and safety of healthcare

Noise is a worsening problem, with levels regularly exceeding international recommendations

11/29/2018



ECRI Institute opens access to clinical practice guidelines

The healthcare community has free access to the website

11/29/2018



Experts urge healthcare facilities to review safety plans

The shooting at Mercy Hospital in Chicago demonstrates the difficulty of keeping hospitals safe

11/28/2018



Healthcare facilities focusing on security long before Chicago shooting

Chicago shooting highlights the benefits and limitations of the heightened sense of alert

11/28/2018



Phoenix hospital trains for potential violence

Shooting in Chicago highlights dangers

11/28/2018



Scrubs vending machines designed to curb OR contamination

Sales reps are required to buy scrubs while inside healthcare facilities

11/28/2018



Launderable mattress barrier may cut hospital-acquired infections

Clostridium difficile can be spread via neglected surfaces, such as those underneath hospital beds

11/28/2018



N.J. facility separates patients after 11th child dies from viral outbreak

The state ordered 'medically-fragile' children separated from those who are sick

11/27/2018



Garage becomes makeshift hospital during Calif. wildfires

Ambulance uses garage to keep patients safe

11/27/2018



Survey suggests healthcare facility security is getting better

American Society for Health Care Engineering’s 2018 Hospital Security Survey found hospitals were taking steps to control hospital access

11/27/2018



Hospital evacuates ER due to 'unpleasant odor' caused by blocked grease trap

A 'code yellow' — a disaster that requires an emergency and urgent response — was declared because the Royal Hobart was already operating at the highest stress load

11/27/2018



Environmental health and safety versus demand control ventilation: Challenges and opportunities

New solutions offer ways to proactively prioritize laboratory safety and system performance

11/27/2018



Building a compliant emergency preparedness program

An effective emergency preparedness program is more than a written plan

11/27/2018



Boost ES recognition by providing opportunities for success

Surveys identify cleanliness, appearance and safety as being key for a healthcare facility

11/26/2018



Fla. nursing homes want more time on generator requirements

But the state Agency for Health Care Administration said it won’t approve waiver requests for facilities that haven’t been working on the situation

11/26/2018



Cooking, corridors and compartments: 3 NFPA updates for your longterm care facility

From 2011-2015, there were 5,750 fires in healthcare facilities, and 66 percent were caused by cooking equipment

11/26/2018



University of Washington to close hospital laundry

The university has cited budget shortfalls and pledged to help workers find new jobs

11/26/2018



California hospitals evacuated as wildfires burned

More than 300 patients have been evacuated

11/21/2018



Gas leak blamed for Texas hospital blast that killed 3

The blast was most likely the result of a construction accident

11/21/2018



'Concerned employee' anonymously alerted state to bacteria outbreak in neonatal unit

Four infants contracted the Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria at University Hospital in Newark, N.J.

11/21/2018



Study finds that many hospital linens have mold

Linens tested positive for Mucorales, a type of fungus

11/21/2018



An MRI installation disabled a hospital's iPhones

The issue was linked to the release of helium during the installation

11/20/2018



Donated meals sickened hospital staff after Hurricane Harvey

Fifty staff members suffered acute symptoms after eating a meal that included pork sausage, pulled pork, brisket, chicken and yogurt

11/20/2018



The future of violence response and emergency preparedness in healthcare

Several healthcare organizations have published information to assist security directors

11/20/2018



Surgical instrument discoloration prompts another hospital to cancel procedures

Issue caused Tampa General Hospital to reschedule some elective surgeries

11/19/2018



Effective ways to improve healthcare data security

Be aware of everything included in the network

11/19/2018



Wildfire destroys three Calif. skilled nursing facilities

All three skilled nursing facilities in Paradise have been destroyed

11/19/2018



Hard water blamed for stained instruments at Michigan hospital

Memorial Healthcare in Owosso has switched to a reverse osmosis system for its water

11/19/2018



40 states report flu activity

The proportion of outpatient visits for influenzalike illness increased slightly

11/16/2018



Epidemic calendar tracks seasons of 69 infectious

Influenza is not the only infectious disease with a season

11/16/2018



Tampa Bay hospitals hit by criminal activity

A survey found that hospitals self-reported violent crimes are occurring at the annual rate of once for every 100 hospital beds

11/16/2018



Healthcare facilities have unique floor care issues

In environments such as hospitals and nursing homes there will be a need for optimum hygiene

11/16/2018



Report explores emergency preparedness for healthcare facilities

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

11/16/2018



Patients evacuated when Camp Fire damages Adventist Health Feather River Hospital

A trio of wildfires has devoured tens of thousands of acres in California, killing at least 42 people

11/15/2018



N.J. lawmakers to investigate infection control at healthcare facilities

New infections continue to be diagnosed at two state longterm care facilities

11/15/2018



Facilitating a successful digital adoption program in your healthcare organization

Healthcare organizations are seeing opportunities in the evolution of technology and are adopting newer, better solutions

11/15/2018



Keeping healthcare facilities safe during construction

Construction projects come with infection control measures

11/15/2018



Niagara Falls hospital investing $60,000+ in security

Employees asking for more controls at entrances

11/15/2018



N.J. facility where 10 children died did not inform parents about outbreak, suit says

Mother of a sick child says facility failed to follow safety protocols

11/14/2018



Superheroes wash windows at San Diego Children’s Hospital

Captain America, The Hulk and Spider-Man gave the villains a break and focused on cleaning glass and surprise the sick kids

11/14/2018



A/V systems integration in today’s OR: Enabling healthcare providers to focus on delivering care

Care providers are increasingly relying on operating room AV technology as communications sources of vital information

11/14/2018



CDC says Ebola outbreak in Congo may not be containable

If the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo becomes more serious, containment efforts may be impossible

11/13/2018



Indiana healthcare facility working to enhance patient experience

Highpoint Health's Patient & Family Advisory Council offers input to improve patient and visitor experience

11/13/2018



Hospital keeps ceiling fans despite warnings

Large ceiling fans operating in multi-occupancy rooms pose an infection control threat, the experts said

11/13/2018



Pittsburgh-area healthcare facility facing suit for unclean ultrasound probes

UPMC Jameson Hospital in New Castle is facing a class action lawsuit

11/13/2018



Central Pa. hospital getting armed guards, tougher security

Some security guards at the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center are carrying guns

11/12/2018



La. hospital reviews safety procedures following lockdown

During a lockdown, sparked by a call about a suspicious person, some patients and staff were evacuated while others sheltered in place

11/12/2018



Baby abduction attempt sparks hospital security upgrades

Two men attempted to 'collect' mothers with newborns from Addington Hospital

11/12/2018



Shoe and floor contamination a challenge for hospitals

Things that come in contact the floor are contaminated and could spreading germs in healthcare facilities

11/12/2018



New bacteria infects cancer patients in Arkansas

Patients who had ports accessed at ACI between March 22 and September 11 of this year are considered at risk

11/12/2018



Chicago nursing facility linked to one of two Legionnaires' clusters in Illinois

A McHenry County Walmart is also a possible exposure point

11/9/2018



Making accreditation matter

The framework of standards and process of accreditation can offer significant opportunity to build an organizational culture that supports performance and innovation far beyond the survey event

11/9/2018



Thieves target patients, visitors at Va. hospitals

More than a hundred of those crimes happened at VCU Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU

11/9/2018



Opening solutions for healthcare facility safety and security

Because every healthcare facility opening differs based on its usage, employing a single solution configuration throughout a facility is not possible

11/9/2018



Arkansas Cancer Institute bacterial outbreak linked to port cleaning method

Many of the patients have had their ports removed and those people who tested positive for the bacteria will undergo a two-week course of antibiotics

11/9/2018



Automation through RTLS can transform patient care

Oregon Medical Group’s self-rooming pilot project, supported by Real-Time Location System (RTLS) technology, dramatically improved patient experience

11/9/2018



Low-pressure taps at hospital blamed for babies' infections

The taps were designed for water savings and were unlikely to be flushing with enough force or volume to remove bacteria

11/8/2018



Legionella bacteria found in Queens hospital

The bacteria was found at New York-Presbyterian Hospital

11/8/2018



Palu disaster leaves hospitals swamped a month later

Poor sanitation and dirty conditions fuel sickness among the displaced

11/8/2018



These are the germiest places in healthcare facilities

There are certain places and things where cleaning is particularly crucial

11/8/2018



Second outbreak of adenovirus reported in N.J.

The second outbreak is believed to be of a milder type than the one responsible for the deaths of 10 children in Wanaque

11/7/2018



UK hospital security equipped with body cameras

If they begin to record an incident, they must first announce they are recording

11/7/2018



Regulations, Codes & Standards Q&A: Eye-wash station tests

Brad Keyes discusses regulations for annual eye-wash station tests

11/7/2018



MRSA and other germs linger in hospital curtains, linens

Studies show both carry infection control risk

11/6/2018



Cybersecurity is a top safety issue for healthcare facilities

Cybersecurity was listed behind severe weather and active shooter incidents

11/6/2018



Ebola outbreak now Congo's third largest

Recent crisis involves more than 270 cases

11/6/2018



Using behavioral health design for the emergency department

Material, equipment and design selection can support safe environment

11/6/2018



Iowa Hospital adds 'safety room' store to facility

The Hannah Geneser Learning Center opened inside Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines

11/6/2018



Hospitals use virtual reality tech to ease patient fears

VR tech is also being used to train staff

11/5/2018



Building automation is moving toward mindful, interacting devices

In this world, we can interact with each other and our smart building bots

11/5/2018



Air quality's role in infection prevention can be overlooked

Having the right tools to communicate the importance of temperature and humidity is important

11/5/2018



Worker blames 'filthy' conditions for outbreak at N.J. facility

A worker at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation also points to widespread mismanagement

11/2/2018



'Major' deficiencies found at N.J. hospital following infant's death

Infection control lapses found at University Hospital in Newark

11/2/2018



Technology changing future of healthcare

Technology can be a disruptive force that can change the way we function

11/2/2018



How to maintain security devices

Diligence is key to protecting equipment from damage and loss

11/2/2018



N.J. facility where 10 children died in outbreak not equipped for quarantine

The children became ill in the facility’s ventilator unit

11/1/2018



Balancing safety, peace with ferromagnetic security screening

Workplace violence is prevalent in mental health

11/1/2018



Steps to re-opening after a disaster

The Joint Commission published a new Emergency Management Health Care Environment Checklist

11/1/2018



 
 
 


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