Sustainable Operations - 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



C. auris cases now number 156

The CDC raised case count from 122

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



Exam room cleaning is crucial

Nosocomial infections can occur at a doctor’s exam room

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



How to deal with ransomware

Ransomware seen as a symptom rather than the problem

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



Some California hospitals don’t pass quake test

Lack of funds usually the problem

6/1/2017



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



 
 
 


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