- April 2015
Designing healthcare facilities to fight infection
Ventilation, furnishings and fixtures affect the bacteria inside a hospital
4/30/2015
Los Angeles children's hospital opens rehab center
New 22,000-square-foot Petersen Rehabilitation Center is one of the largest acute pediatric rehabilitation centers in the country
4/30/2015
Healthcare interiors serving needs in changing ways
Healthcare interiors are serving patient, family, and staff needs in a way that would be unrecognizable to recently past generations, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/30/2015
Workplace violence is on the rise for nursing staff
An Occupational Health Safety Network report finds risks highest among nurse assistants
4/30/2015
Designing for behavioral health facilities
The next big opportunity to improve mental health care delivery lies within designers' hands
4/30/2015
Consider systems, human factor to curb infection, study says
Healthcare facilities urged to look beyond isolated practices of staff when working to curb infections
4/30/2015
The evolution of urgent care centers
Infusion suite within or adjacent to the urgent care center are becoming more common
4/30/2015
ASSA ABLOY's EcoFlex energy-saving mortise locks now available with high-security monitoring options
4/30/2015
Long-term care facilities stressing more basic healthcare
Facilities are surpassing hospitals as focus of healthcare for the elderly
4/29/2015
Healthcare has most nonfatal occupational injuries for all private industries in 2013
One in five reported nonfatal occupational injuries occurred among workers in the healthcare and social assistance industry
4/29/2015
N.Z. health board proposing improvement food service for healthcare facilities
New nutrition standards, developed with health board dietitians, would be introduced
4/29/2015
Winning strategies for waiting rooms
Furnishings should accommodate diverse postures, behaviors, and levels of privacy
4/29/2015
Kaiser Permanente plans increase of solar and wind power use
Kaiser Permanente plans to add on-site solar energy to as many as 170 of its California healthcare facilities, according to an article on the Health Facilities Management website
4/29/2015
Successful activating of an ambulatory care center
Activation will involve focusing on operational readiness, facility readiness and move logistics
4/29/2015
Rubber flooring has multiple benefits for nursing staff
Comfort is the benefit most often cited when discussing the positive impact rubber flooring has upon nurses
4/29/2015
Rockfon Contour acoustic baffles provide quietness, visual interest in commercial interiors
4/29/2015
Australian healthcare facility kitchen staff returns, but patients may still get Big Macs
The kitchen staff has gone back to work at the biggest hospital network in Kingston, Victoria, but patients may have to be given take away instead of reheated hospital meals, according to an article on the Herald Sun website
4/28/2015
Mercy Hospital Joplin expanded definition of resiliency
Replacement healthcare facility built to withstand severe weather after tornado
4/28/2015
Healthcare facility flooring options
Options include first adhesive free flooring and designs that mimic our internal clockwork
4/28/2015
Florida Hospital Orlando will embody a new era in women's healthcare
The facility was designed to achieve a balance between creating a modern healthcare facility and establishing an environment that promotes healing through design, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/28/2015
Healthcare facilities embracing lighting that inspires comfort and confidence
Lighting can be an essential design element influencing the staff, patient and visitor's perception of the hospital experience
4/28/2015
Designing maternity facilities for millennials
Facilities may need to accommodate natural birth options such as midwife deliveries, doulas, acupuncture, water births, and offering tools such as birthing balls or ropes
4/28/2015
Two 'massive' healthcare facilities coming to Ottawa in 2017
The Pinnacle Centres of Healthcare Excellence will offer 'one stop shopping' for healthcare
4/28/2015
Q&A on exit signage
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about exit signage
4/28/2015
Johnson Controls helps top public health system deliver better care at lower cost in new hospital
4/28/2015
Scope maker warned Europe about problems two years before L.A. infections
FDA learned of scope warnings last summer but didn't alert U.S. hospitals
4/27/2015
Some healthcare workers not trained on how to clean uniforms in-home
Many healthcare facilities require employees to clean some uniforms at home, but offer no training
4/27/2015
St. Joseph Health saves clinician time and improves patient care with secure on-demand printing
The system needed a solution that would help with printer management issues and user profile corruption in a virtualized desktop infrastructure (VDI) environment
4/27/2015
Report: Retail clinics could handle 27 percent of emergency visits
Shift could create $4 billion in savings
4/27/2015
Don't waste time on time: How synchronized clocks improve operations
Accurate time isn't a mere convenience in a healthcare facility; it's a central way of ensuring that operations are running efficiently and patient safety is paramount
4/27/2015
Door hardware specifications for healthcare facilities
Healthcare facilities have unique door opening applications and specific door hardware requirements
4/27/2015
Designing patient- and technology-friendly clinical spaces
Nurse and design consultant says efficient, safe spaces must accommodate new technology, the human touch
4/27/2015
Instilling pride in your housekeeping team
Inspire them and they are going to go above and beyond their daily responsibilities and put patient needs above their own
4/24/2015
Study suggests 'soft' floors reduce falls
A Swedish study recently published in Injury Prevention looked at the effect impact-absorbing flooring had on minimizing injuries from falls, according to an article on the Long-Term Living magazine
4/24/2015
Cincinnati hospital plans $280 million expansion
Joint and Spine Center Christ Hospital project will include a million-dollar view
4/24/2015
Historic building becomes Manhattan's first freestanding ED
Lenox Hill HealthPlex was the Joseph Curran Building in Manhattan's Greenwich Village
4/24/2015
International collaboration focuses on patient safety
An international partnership of 16 health systems will collaborate on patient safety issues such as hospital-acquired infections
4/24/2015
Seattle children's hospital emphasizes a life-affirming attitude
Hospital's new 34,000-square-foot psychiatry and behavioral medicine unit emphasizes a life-affirming attitude with patient and staff safety elements built into the design, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/24/2015
Article sees problem with satisfied patients
The Atlantic says healthcare changes have led some hospitals to focus on making people happy, rather than well
4/23/2015
W.Va. veterans clinic closes again due to air quality issues
A clinic in Maxwelton, W.Va., that serves veterans in West Virginia and Virginia has closed again because of air quality issues, according to an article on the Herald Online website
4/23/2015
Healthcare energy management could be big business for utilities
The healthcare sector has an increasingly concentrated focus on the ways in which their facilities get and manage energy
4/23/2015
Healthcare flooring affects patient well-being
A large but often forgotten part of this 'good design' equation is flooring
4/23/2015
Connecticut hospital adjusts to changing healthcare needs
As the healthcare picture changes, New Milford Hospital is adjusting
4/23/2015
Toolkits designed to help healthcare facilities reduce energy
The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care launched two new interactive toolkits for healthcare
4/23/2015
Maximizing advanced lighting systems
Automatic sensing, daylighting harvesting and digital communication with other building systems such as HVAC and security are starting to represent the 'new normal'
4/23/2015
Legionella found at West Palm Beach VA again
The Legionella bacteria first appeared at the facility in January and the all clear was given then
4/22/2015
Irish hospital exposes patients to burn risks
Inspectors found unhygienic medication practices and safety hazards at Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown
4/22/2015
Anchor CEO discusses healthcare's 'retail' experience
Hospital administrators urged to really understand the market, the competition and what they want to try to achieve from a business perspective
4/22/2015
Missouri hospitals prepare for severe weather
Staffs monitor weather briefings, go through their emergency checklists and test backup generators
4/22/2015
University of New Mexico plans larger replacement hospital
Level I trauma center has turned away hundreds of transfers from other hospitals because of the crowded conditions
4/22/2015
251 hospitals score five stars in Medicare's new ratings
Some in the healthcare industry fear Medicare's five-star scale won't accurately reflect quality and may place too much weight on patient reviews
4/22/2015
Emergency planning helps Michigan healthcare facility in flood aftermath
Storm brought up to 8 inches of storm water into the hospital's emergency department, the kitchen, radiation oncology, radiology, the in-patient pharmacy, and medical supply storage
4/21/2015
Research in the healthcare design process
High-quality research should be interwoven throughout the design process, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/21/2015
Q&A on egress lighting and battery powered emergency lights
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about egress lighting and battery powered emergency lights
4/21/2015
Protecting healthcare facilities from dirty devices
Instructions from manufacturers may not be enough
4/21/2015
Healthcare facilities can use model crisis plans to address disasters
Mathematical modeling cuts out much of the human analysis
4/21/2015
Hospitals leaving downtown areas
Older, obsolete facilities are rebuilding in wealthier areas
4/21/2015
The impact of medical computers on patients
Medical computers have numerous features that promote a cleaner environment
4/21/2015
Deer jumps through hospital window
Doe took a brief walk through a MidMichigan Health Center before leaving
4/20/2015
Study: Impact-absorbent flooring curbs injuries
Flooring shown to help prevent injuries from falls inside nursing homes
4/20/2015
Spring is a good time to review long-term care safety
Spring is the perfect time to inspect, repair, install or improve the systems that keep the building safe and healthy, according to an article on the Long-Term Living website
4/20/2015
Q&A on dust on sprinkler heads
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about dust on sprinkler heads
4/20/2015
Lake Forest hospital expansion expected to invigorate area
$426 million project features five pavilions, eight operating rooms and 114 private inpatient beds
4/20/2015
Australian hospital designed as healing tree
Lady Cilento Children's Hospital's design was based on the concept of a 'living tree' for the layout and wayfinding, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/20/2015
Patient violence among ECRI's patient concerns
ECRI Institute's 2015 Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns also includes alarm hazards
4/20/2015
Tunable White LED and three new luminaires deliver greater flexibility and creative possibilities
4/20/2015
Companies feud over UV robots
Two manufacturers of ultraviolet disinfection robots are in court over advertising claims
4/17/2015
The University of North Carolina medical school facility designed for flexibility
The 340,000-square-foot, 10-story building contains labs and imaging technology for research teams, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/17/2015
N.D. hospital adds Ebola-ready rooms
Sanford Health adds two new rooms equipped to safely treat patients with highly contagious infections
4/17/2015
Sierra Leone rebuilds healthcare system with eco-friendly medical waste disposal
Freetown's Goderich Emergency Surgical and Paediatric Hospital gets autoclave
4/17/2015
White House asks hospitals to fight health hazards of climate change
Healthcare community asked to help reduce potential harms
4/17/2015
Healthcare facilities automation systems evolve
The evolution of building automation systems follows the development of computers
4/17/2015
Nicklaus Children's Hospital successfully completed installation of Cerner revenue cycle solutions
4/17/2015
Hospital cuts falls with 'virtual sitter' system
St. David's North Austin Medical Center uses new technology to increase safety
4/16/2015
Healthcare power efficiency trends
Healthcare facilities are looking to improve efficiency, resiliency and cost
4/16/2015
Health systems redesign facilities to meet goals
Projects are creating operational efficiencies, patient satisfaction
4/16/2015
Bryn Mawr Hospital's planning largest project since late 1800s
$200 million project calls for major new construction on the hospital's core campus
4/16/2015
Catskill Regional Medical Center upgrades parking lot using green technology
Process eliminates the need to excavate, remove and dispose of failed pavement as well as the need to import large volumes of virgin aggregate
4/16/2015
Minnesota hospital plans $140 million renovation, expansion
Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital project will add two new inpatient floors, revamp the surgery center and make all patient rooms private
4/16/2015
Healthcare facilities with the cleanest patient rooms
At least 89 percent of patients surveyed reported that their room and bathroom were 'always' clean
4/15/2015
Reducing the impact of HAIs with UV disinfection
Portable UVGI units are used in patient, surgical and ICU rooms as well as other critical care settings
4/15/2015
Maine hospital recognized for recycling program
York Hospital has volunteer 'Green Team' whose works to conserve the environment by ensuring that sustainability becomes an integral component of daily operations
4/15/2015
University of Kansas Hospital building new patient tower
The $280 million building will have 92 beds
4/15/2015
Long-term costs of infection control
Healthcare facilities are looking for best ways to prepare for outbreaks
4/15/2015
Technology helping hospitals to reduce infections
Automated disinfection systems have evolved to meet the needs of healthcare facilities
4/15/2015
Weather linked to hospital acquired infections
The numbers of healthcare infections go up with the temperature
4/14/2015
Patient care, sustainability priorities in Middle East hospital design and construction
Study reports that integrating nursing and patient friendly design as the top priority in designing new hospitals throughout the Middle East and North Africa
4/14/2015
Minnesota hospital brings critical power management into the digital revolution
Operations team ends testing nightmare, says automated compliance reporting and trending beat 'handwritten'
4/14/2015
Rubber flooring can boost workplace safety in healthcare facilities
Rubber floor coverings can help curb muscle fatigue and aching backs, legs and feet
4/14/2015
Design considerations for biocontainment patient care units
Nebraska Medical Center's biocontainment patient care unit is the largest, and provides the best case study in facilities of this type
4/14/2015
Indoor air quality linked to lung health
A study said that the quality of indoor air in nursing homes seriously affects the lung health of elderly residents, according to an article on the Long-term Living website
4/14/2015
Emergency power code changes expected for healthcare facilities
Many expect that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will adopt the 2012 editions of the National Fire Protection Association's Life Safety Code and Health Care Facilities Code soon
4/14/2015
Webcam removal from disabled patient's room creates conflict
Pennsylvania nursing home removes device patient used to communicate with family
4/13/2015
Technology fights hospital-acquired infections
Healthcare facilities that fail to ramp up their efforts to reduce these types of infections face stiff penalties - among them, a reduction in Medicare payments
4/13/2015
Healthcare facilities investing in resilient design
Resilient design protects buildings, systems from natural disastersg
4/13/2015
Ohio health system plans $700 million in hospital projects
Mount Carmel East Hospital in Columbus to begin modernization project in spring
4/13/2015
Designing for long-term infection control
Planners and designers are working with clinicians and facilities staff to improve prevention from pre-design programming through specification
4/13/2015
OSHA updates workplace violence guidelines
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has updated its 1995 and 2004 editions of Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers, according to an article on the Long-term Living website
4/13/2015
Tips for leasing medical spaces
Healthcare systems face many hurdles as landlords, including arcane real estate arrangements and complicated regulatory issues
4/13/2015
University of Chicago Medicine uses Vocera Care Rounds solution to improve patient experience
4/13/2015
Fisher-Titus will begin using CommonWell Health Alliance services to advance interoperability
4/13/2015
Emerson Network Power introduces full suite of custom air handling solutions for the data center
4/13/2015
Security100Healthcare Summit
Security100Healthcare Summit will be held June 15-17, 2015, in Scottsdale
4/13/2015
Protecting healthcare staff from patients
Technology gives staff quicker and more efficient means of summoning help
4/10/2015
UCSF Medical Center gets $800K for sustainability efforts from PG&E
State-of-the-art energy efficiency systems were integrated in the design of new buildings
4/10/2015
Senior facility design scaling down
Smaller, more homelike and personalized environments that reflect and support the residents are being designed, according to an article on the Environments for Aging
4/10/2015
Technology can create smarter healthcare building projects
Building information modeling (BIM) - can help to alleviate some of these challenges of complex healthcare construction, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/10/2015
Victoria Hospital denies cleaning problems
Whistle blower alleges problems with infection control and general hygiene at the Kirkcaldy hospital
4/10/2015
Long-term facilities reinventing rehab
More facilities are looking at ways to add it to their portfolio of services
4/10/2015
Advances improve healthcare AV options
Advances in hardware and software offer a wide range of alternatives for presenters and audiences
4/10/2015
Johns Hopkins builds Ebola unit
Unit is designed to safely care for patients with the disease and other dangerous infections
4/9/2015
Los Alamitos Medical Center MOB reflects campus identity
The new medical office building was designed with with community integration, campus identity and city planning requirements in mind, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/9/2015
Hospital security boosted after nurses express fears following attacks
Australia's Westmead Hospital reacts to reports of violent crimes near the facility
4/9/2015
Splashes can be overlooked risk for healthcare facility workers
Splashes from cleaning bedpans, and emptying suction cups can transfer a pathogen through the eyes, nose, or mouth
4/9/2015
Designing for needs of cancer patients
Interiors throughout common, treatment, patient services and staff areas should focus on patients' needs
4/9/2015
Curbing incidents of wandering at senior facilities
Electronic equipment such as bed and door alarms, video cameras and resident tracking devices can help prevent elopement
4/9/2015
Bobrick's new interlocking Gap-Free Design and 72'' doors/panels answer partition privacy needs
4/9/2015
Varonis to showcase new metadata framework and enterprise search solutions at RSA Conference 2015
4/9/2015
Kansas hospital tests positive for Legionella bacteria
The facility has installed filters in the showers in the long-term care and in-patient units
4/8/2015
Boston-area hospital to use new non-lethal security device
Newton-Wellesley Hospital to introduce devices for its security staff, as hospitals across the country have seen an increase in violent attacks by patients
4/8/2015
Henry Ford Innovation Institute encouraging new design ideas
Patient experience and care trends inform new concepts
4/8/2015
Army Corps of Engineers taking over Colorado VA hospital project
The project, originally priced at $328 million, is now expected to cost $1.73 billion
4/8/2015
Boston Children's Hospital renovating dining space
The $11 million project includes a new focus on fresh ingredients, antibiotic-free meats and cooking classes for children and adults
4/8/2015
Ontario health system stresses locally grown food
Halton Healthcare Services is recognized for locally-grown foods project
4/8/2015
Understanding aging key to designing senior facilities
Connecticut hospital's uses design solutions for lighting, acoustics, and signage to better support its older patients, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/8/2015
Trane launches Tracer Concierge System for simplified and affordable HVAC and lighting control
4/8/2015
Club Car offering new limited slip differential for 4x2 Carryall utility and transport vehicles
4/8/2015
Healthcare design is putting more focus on infection control
Designers are now exploring more automated ways to combat bacteria
4/7/2015
Parkland Hospital designed for comfort
Hospital will add 862 beds with private rooms for each patient
4/7/2015
The changing procurement model for medical equipment
Current design technology and construction methodologies are changing and advancing the way projects are designed and constructed but they are often not aligned with a health systems procurement practices or equipment vendor sales strategies
4/7/2015
Designing experiences into senior facilities
Planning a successful facility includes an emphasis not just on built spaces, but on creating ageless consumer experiences, according to an article on the Environments for Aging website
4/7/2015
Survey shows little connection between healthcare sector and senior care
Just 10 percent of surveyed senior living providers and industry consultants have a partnership with a healthcare system, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/7/2015
Chemicals used to make products antimicrobial are classified as pesticides/biocides
Fabrics and flooring treated with antimicrobial agents that prevent bacterial growth create more problems than they solve
4/7/2015
Clinical waste is mixed up with linen at U.K. hospital
Waste was dumped in with dirty linen 40 times and sent off to the laundry
4/6/2015
Private resident rooms not trending in senior living
While there are supporters of the single resident room model in senior living, but in terms of code minimum, there is no mandate yet, according to an article on Environments for Aging website
4/6/2015
Robots may reduce workloads in hospitals
UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay has 25 robots on staff
4/6/2015
Lobby terrarium design solved contamination issues
The focal point of the Rush University Medical Center's Edward A. Brennan Entry Pavilion is a three-story, open-air terrarium, which introduces an exterior landscaped space into the interior
4/6/2015
Ontario clinic designed for flexible activity levels
The Halton McMaster Family Health Clinic was designed to function at varying activity levels, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/6/2015
Hospital recycling barriers studied
Most hospitals are collecting 40 percent or less of what could be recycled
4/6/2015
Magruder Hospital will begin using CommonWell Health Alliance Services to advance interoperability
4/6/2015
Dirty mops blamed for norovirus outbreak at hospitals
Cleaning staff are reusing mops contaminated with norovirus in north Cumbria in the U.K.
4/2/2015
South L.A.'s MLK hospital reflects the new healthcare
The campus emphasizes preventive treatments, with a new urgent-care center and outpatient and public health clinics
4/2/2015
New Orleans children's hospital proposes $250 million expansion
Historic 184,388-square-foot Marine Hospital is at the center of a plan to expand Children's Hospital
4/2/2015
Designing retail clinics
The evolution of healthcare delivery is calling for retailers to rethink their spaces, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
4/2/2015
Q&A on medical gas system deficiencies
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about medical gas system deficiencies
4/2/2015
Healthcare facility planner discusses regulations, economy
Regulations, economics and patient preferences are changing healthcare facilities and campuses
4/2/2015
Beta version of the GEE energy management platform now available for select customer testing
4/2/2015
HVAC burnout causes week-long EHR outage
California hospital recovering from the fallout of a week-long EHR outage triggered when an HVAC system burned out
4/1/2015
Practice Greenhealth releases new sustainability report
2014 edition of the annual healthcare benchmark report is available for download to members
4/1/2015
Dashboard offer budgetary and management benefits
Healthcare facilities can use business intelligence systems to search for more efficiency
4/1/2015
LED bulbs could help with infection control
LED bulb designs could be customized to be less attractive to specific disease-carrying insect species
4/1/2015
Designers predict shift from public to home-centric healthcare model
Australian architects expect a decrease in government spending on public healthcare and a push towards a more home-centric and technology-based healthcare service
4/1/2015
Health system offering technology stores
New Jersey medical center opens patient engagement resource
4/1/2015