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

What Does Light Daily Cleaning Miss in Patient Rooms?

Most environmental services workers still clean as if they are wiping dust off a countertop, not disrupting a living, structured community.


Smart Lighting Overhaul Boosts Efficiency, Diagnostics and Wellness at Bryan Health

Case study: LED upgrade and advanced controls across Bryan Health campuses cut lighting energy use by 57 percent while enhancing patient care and staff productivity.


AdventHealth Opens New Freestanding ER in Florida

The approximately 13,700-square-foot emergency room features 12 patient rooms, respiratory therapy services, diagnostic imaging including CT scans, X-ray and ultrasound.


Dirty Floors: How Pathogens Can Accumulate and Spread Underfoot

Studies show that healthcare floors are covered in bacteria and can quickly spread throughout patient rooms. 


WellSpan Health Opens Its Newberry Hospital in Pennsylvania

This marks the opening of its 10th hospital in the region spanning Central Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland.


 
 


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.