U.S. hospitals wary of cost and stigma of treating Ebola

Facilities worried about steep costs, unwanted attention and the possibility of scaring away other patients


U.S. hospitals are worried about steep costs, unwanted attention and the possibility of scaring away other patients if they become part of the Ebola hospital network, according to an article on The Washington Post website.

“They’re saying, ‘Look, we might be willing to do this, but we don’t want to be called an Ebola hospital. We don’t want people to be cancelling appointments left and right,’” Michael Bell, director of laboratory safety at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in the article.

Only a few facilities have special biocontainment units, and they can handle only two or three patients at a time. 

The U.S. hospitals that have treated Ebola patients have discovered that doing so can be costly, involving scores of nurses and other health workers. 

Plus, the media attention can cause a potential loss of revenue if other patients avoid the facility. And there are concerns that a mistake could endanger employees.

Read the article.

 

 



December 11, 2014


Topic Area: Maintenance and Operations


Recent Posts

Disinfectant Contact Time: The Case for Biofilm Disruption

Contact time, while essential for compliance, does not reliably predict microbial reduction on actual healthcare surfaces.


Texas HHSC Reaches Construction Milestone for Panhandle State Hospital in Amarillo

Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2027.


Mon General Succumbs to Phishing Cyberattack

Its investigation ultimately determined that an unauthorized party gained access to certain Mon General email mailboxes on May 6, 2026.


The HVAC Dilemma: To Repair or Replace?

Healthcare facilities that keep repairing and optimizing aging systems past their useful life spend money on a problem they cannot solve without capital investment.


Department of Veterans Affairs Signs Lease for Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Kentucky

Construction and facility preparation are expected to be completed by the winter of 2027, and the first patient should be seen by spring 2028.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.