- August 2015
Personal clothing tied to infections in NICU
Respiratory syncytial virus can be spread from caregivers' and visitors' clothes
8/31/2015
Managing infection control during healthcare facility construction
Dust and debris can be a major source of molds and fungi spores
8/31/2015
Boston's Children's Hospital plans for pedestrian bridge
Hospital wants to build a $23 million pedestrian bridge from the visitor parking garage right into the hospital
8/31/2015
Reducing MRI noise and vibration
Reducing the noise transmission to nearby spaces requires attention to airborne and structure-borne transmission paths, according to a blog on the Healthcare Design website
8/31/2015
Natural disaster infographic
Eastern Kentucky University offers data hospital safety problems during times of natural disaster
8/31/2015
Facility professionals can have key role in mergers
Facility directors should be positioned to thrive after the announcement of a merger or acquisition
8/31/2015
ROCKFON meets Arkansas State University's goals for aesthetics, performance, schedule and budget
8/31/2015
Texas hospital may lose funding due to safety concerns
Federal judge may intervene in plans to cut funding to a North Texas psychiatric hospital
8/28/2015
Boston children's hospital garden may be demolished
Supporters have asked Massachusetts Attorney to block the hospital from demolishing the garden to put up a new clinical building
8/28/2015
Los Angeles VA renovates former mental health hospital
Historic building will house chronically homeless veterans
8/28/2015
Pharmacy clinics' role in healthcare growing
Use of the retail clinics has been on an upswing for preventive services
8/28/2015
Life safety consultant should be part of the design process
Healthcare projects often go through the early design phases without bringing in key consultants
8/28/2015
Camden introduces new surface mount, weather/vandal resistant, stand-alone prox reader & keypad
8/28/2015
AIMMC Center for Advanced Care blends two facilities
The expansions of the existing Creticos Cancer Center and Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center were originally commissioned as two separate projects, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
8/27/2015
Photo gallery: Innovations in ED design
New strategies in emergency department design are showcased on the Health Facilities Management website
8/27/2015
Missouri hospital completes patient move to new tower
Cox Medical Center South's opens new $130-million 343,000-square-foot West Tower
8/27/2015
Health system teams with Walgreens to expand retail clinic model
Providence Health & Services partnership will stress care coordination, chronic care and interconnected electronic health records
8/27/2015
Q&A on calibration gas cylinders
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on calibration gas cylinders
8/27/2015
Okla. hospital forced to close ORs due to faulty air handling system
Surprise inspection from CMS finds high humidity in the hospital's central sterilization room
8/26/2015
Report says HCAHPS surveys don't show the whole picture
Hospitals urged to start gathering a much greater depth of data to truly change the patient experience and impact business performance
8/26/2015
Australian hospital's energy efficiency project criticized
Government priorities questioned after $3.3 million was set aside for improved energy efficiency at Canberra Hospital
8/26/2015
Illinois nursing home resident monitoring law OK'd
Residents of nursing homes and their families can put audio- or video-monitoring devices in residents' rooms
8/26/2015
Entry mats can help maintain greener facility
Without high-performance entry mats installed, a facility cannot be LEED certified
8/26/2015
Conservation's value more than financial
Energy-management initiatives can build enthusiasm among patients and employees while raising the profile of health systems
8/26/2015
Nora Lighting Edge-Lit LED panel series now available in three sizes and range of Kelvin temps
8/26/2015
Not lovin' it: Cleveland Clinic to boot McDonald's from food court
Clinic will discontinue a long-term lease that has allowed McDonald's to operate there for two decades
8/25/2015
Improving patient care with IT
Most Wired Innovator Award honorees are using IT in innovative ways
8/25/2015
Study backs sound panels for reducing noise in hospitals
Scientists are trying to reduce the amount of noise which is often double what it should be
8/25/2015
Montefiore Health System cuts energy use with sustainable initiatives
Montefiore Medical Center has the longest running cogeneration facility of any New York City hospital
8/25/2015
BIM can streamline healthcare facility management
The model information can be used for commissioning, maintenance, refurbishing and end-of-building-life decisions
8/25/2015
Advanced nurse call systems becoming standard equipment
Real-time locating systems can offer new work flow functions
8/25/2015
U.K. hospital has motorized buggy to help patients and visitors
People with mobility problems can flag down the buggy to catch a lift through the atrium at Southmead Hospital Bristol
8/24/2015
Duress procedures should be reviewed as violence increases
Systems may be antiquated, incomplete or not properly functioning
8/24/2015
Proactive maintenance decisions can lesson future problems
Predictive maintenance techniques can determine the condition of assets and predict when maintenance should be performed
8/24/2015
The ups and downs of a new healthcare facility
A new hospital comes with its own set of challenges
8/24/2015
Researchers urge best practices for hospital cleaning, infection control
Study identified several favorable ways 'high-touch surfaces' in hospitals can be cleaned
8/24/2015
Survey shows healthcare facilities managers salaries rising
Compensation for environmental services managers showed a jump experts say could be tied to healthcare's increasing focus on infection control results
8/24/2015
Design-Build Institute of America and Water Design-Build Council announce strategic alliance
8/24/2015
Calgary hospital battling wasps in courtyard
Patient stung 25 times while walking near facility
8/21/2015
Florida's Space Coast healthcare facility construction booming
Activity is picking up again, with more clarity on the Affordable Care Act
8/21/2015
Hospital installing one of the Australia's largest solar rooftop arrays
Canberra Hospital is adding a 500-kilowatt solar system and installing LED lights
8/21/2015
Grant changes plan for Ohio cancer hospital
James Cancer Hospital in Columbus adds radiation oncology unit to project-in-progress after receiving new funding, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
8/21/2015
California hospitals with cleanest rooms
Eighty percent of patients reported that their room was always clean
8/21/2015
Michigan senior facility built with latest in design, technology and security
New 101,000-square-foot campus has a movie theater, fitness center, raised-bed gardens, bistro and courtyard with a putting green
8/21/2015
WellDoc, Samsung and Ontario Telemedicine Network announce program to help manage Type 2 Diabetes
8/21/2015
ETC Unison Mosaic brings quiet to recovering newborns at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin NICU
8/21/2015
Throwback photo: Fire forces hospital to move to riverboat
A river paddle steamer called Medoc had been transformed into a floating hospital
8/20/2015
Staying informed of healthcare crime trends
Staying informed of trends in healthcare crime is an important part of planning and maintaining a successful security program
8/20/2015
Controlling noise, disruption in patient rooms
Hospitals are rethinking how they function at night so that more patients can sleep
8/20/2015
OB design for an older mom
Patients walking into obstetrics units today are a more sophisticated population, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
8/20/2015
Cancer center renovation to include floor-to-ceiling windows
Riverview Medical Center expansion will feature a 29,000-square-foot addition, as well as physical, visual, and technical upgrades
8/20/2015
When's the right time to purchase healthcare equipment?
Rapid medical technology innovation makes the question more complicated
8/20/2015
Incident management technology key to accreditation readiness
A major aspect of the accreditation process is the evaluation of the hospital's emergency process
8/20/2015
Startups bringing healthcare 'facilities' home
Companies building Uber-like models for medical care
8/19/2015
Missouri hospital plans $135 million expansion
Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Crystal City will add a three-story patient tower, a new front entrance and other enhancements
8/19/2015
Longterm master plan selected for California medical center
Olive View-UCLA Medical Center plan a roadmap for campus growth over the next 20-50 years
8/19/2015
Healthcare facilities adopting new noise reduction tactics
Noise-reducing interior finishes can muffle foot traffic and medical equipment
8/19/2015
California approves security cameras in assisted living homes patient rooms
Facility owner has been longtime advocate of cameras
8/19/2015
Q&A on corridor projections
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on corridor projections
8/19/2015
Metabolon and Baylor College of Medicine show Metabolomics may play key role in precision medicine
8/19/2015
Hong King bed linen probe finds multiple issues
Investigation of the fungal infection of public hospital bed linen has identified lapses in almost every stage of the laundry process
8/18/2015
Naval hospital gets seismic retrofit project to improved ability to withstand quake
Naval Hospital Bremerton safeguards the core building with shock absorbing inertia dampeners
8/18/2015
Inventory management tips for healthcare facilities
Inventory management in healthcare facilities is especially critical
8/18/2015
Montreal hospital closes play structure after injuries
Montreal Children's Hospital sculpture was recently installed in lobby area
8/18/2015
Mumbai doctors hire private security after patient attacks
Doctors can dial a special number to mobilize security men to reach a trouble spot within nine minutes
8/18/2015
$400 million 'destination' medical center planned in Rockford
New 188-bed medical center will include a women's and children's hospital with neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, a pediatric emergency department and a high-risk maternity unit
8/18/2015
Healthcare facility's design inspired by IKEA, Apple and Starbucks
A new outpatient healthcare facility at the University of Minnesota looked to IKEA's philosophy of determining the price tag first, then designing accordingly
8/18/2015
HOSPECO puts you in control of spills with TASKBrand spill kits, pad and roll sorbents, and barriers
8/18/2015
Cheers! Guinness brewery waste may help power children's hospital
Developers are trying to find out if waste heat produced by the Dublin brewery could be used by a new facility
8/17/2015
Aurora VA hospital funding still up in the air
The VA is working with Congress to come to an agreement to fund the project
8/17/2015
Nebraska healthcare facility will include a healing garden
University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine's Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center will add to its healing arts program
8/17/2015
Walk-in clinics forcing healthcare providers to rethink delivery
Consumers increasingly are looking for faster and more convenient options to get basic medical care
8/17/2015
Concerns raised over cleanliness at Derry hospital
Monthly environmental cleanliness audit revealed low or no scores
8/17/2015
'Retailization' changing medical office space
Healthcare industry changes are altering real estate needs
8/17/2015
Study finds lack of evidence as to which cleaning method is the best
Among promising cleaning tactics for reducing healthcare-associated infections, there was no clear winner
8/14/2015
The decentralized nursing model mostly working
Two studies have shown that patient satisfaction is higher in decentralized units, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
8/14/2015
Florida clinic designed for shorter wait times
Changes, including smaller waiting rooms, may improve the experience
8/14/2015
Hospital cited for food hygiene and safety lapses
Private facility in Eastbourne, England, told to take 'urgent action' to fix violations
8/14/2015
Australian hospital admits mistakes made in rush to open
New facility hit with complaints about cleaning and catering, IT systems, staffing, cancelled operations and bed capacity
8/14/2015
New technology can affect fall prevention
Design changes and material selection can help prevent falls
8/14/2015
Leviton launches next generation Evr-Green charging station that delivers up to 7.7 kW of power
8/14/2015
Healthcare facility moisture levels can impact energy costs
Relative humidity levels are an often overlooked factor in HVAC systems
8/13/2015
Tucson health facility plans $500 million expansion
Plans include an 11-story tower and an outpatient clinic
8/13/2015
Maryland hospital joins shift to outpatient care
Hospital plans to eliminate 106 inpatient beds and shutter many of the non-emergency inpatient services by 2018
8/13/2015
Patient-centered hospital environment extends to audio
Trend to private rooms, patient-controlled audio supports care, quality
8/13/2015
Best practices to green healthcare
Health system's sustainability strategy focuses on five key areas
8/13/2015
Q&A on ozone machines
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on ozone machines
8/13/2015
Yelp adding hospital and healthcare data to site
Survey information will include ER wait times and the quietness of patient rooms
8/12/2015
Florida hospital says flushed wipes lead to sewage leaks
Venice Regional Bayfront Health says wipes used for infection control were flushed down the toilet and led to broken pipe
8/12/2015
How flooring supports the needs of today's medical and healthcare facilities
DeKalb County area experienced a major loss of water pressure and was under a boil water advisory for four days
8/12/2015
Accident threatens water pressure at Georgia hospital
DeKalb County area experienced a major loss of water pressure and was under a boil water advisory for four days
8/12/2015
Coordinated efforts urged to prevent hospital-acquired infections
Communication between hospitals, long-term acute-care facilities and nursing homes could reduce the number of infections
8/12/2015
Air filter mistakes can create unsafe conditions
To ensure the best air filtration for a healthcare facility use filters with a MERV-A rating that matches the requirements
8/12/2015
Design/patient care link to be explored
New grant initiative is calling for research projects that study the relationship between emergency department design and emergency care
8/12/2015
Plans to privatize Louisiana hospitals' police shelved
Biomedical Research Foundation is reconsidering its plan to privatize the University Health police force at its hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe
8/11/2015
Consumer-centric design may help with patient engagement
Retail healthcare facilities are finding new ways to compete in a competitive marketplace
8/11/2015
U.K. children's hospital adds cheerful murals
Illustrator and designer Nick Deakin has created a new series of murals for the eye department at Sheffield Children's Hospital
8/11/2015
$5.2 million in repairs urged for Ohio hospital parking garage
The nearing 50-year-old garage has numerous structural problems including damage and corrosion to concrete slabs, beams and columns and steel beams
8/11/2015
California hospital expansion design includes water conservation landscaping
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford project designed to save water and other natural resources
8/11/2015
Hospitals investing in delivery room upgrades
Out-of-date obstetrics units and labor and delivery rooms don't support today's modern approaches to the birth experience, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
8/11/2015
CNL Healthcare Properties invests more than half a billion dollars in the first seven months of 2015
8/11/2015
California hospitals try to conserve water in drought
Hospitals have untapped potential to help the state fight its ongoing drought
8/10/2015
New Orleans hospital finally replaced after Katrina
Charity Hospital staff was working out of tents, an abandoned Lord & Taylor department store and eventually a cramped interim hospital
8/10/2015
Hospital closes wing due to safety issues
Guam Memorial Hospital wing seen as vulnerable to collapse
8/10/2015
New Delhi dealing with excess bio-medical waste
Inefficient handling of toxic stockpiles remains a challenge for India
8/10/2015
Making healthcare facilities climate resilient
Designing for future disasters and weather extremes can be a challenge because it requires a lot of hypothesizing, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
8/10/2015
Philadelphia children's hospital opens new facility
Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care features two-story climbing wall, outdoor dining terrace and children's discovery garden
8/10/2015
Downtown Detroit gets 'healthcare boutique' urgent care clinic
Henry Ford Health System site offers smartphone scheduling, virtual consultations, health concierges and wellness services including acupuncture
8/7/2015
U.K. healthcare facility reacts to fourth scabies outbreak in a year
Care home replaces all bedding and brings in a specialist to carry out an additional deep clean
8/7/2015
Kansas City hospital expands focus to surrounding properties
St. Luke's is also a real estate developer
8/7/2015
Maryland hospital to be replaced with an outpatient facility
Dimensions Healthcare System will close Laurel Regional Hospital and replace it with a $24 million ambulatory care center
8/7/2015
Pennsylvania healthcare facility to expand 'hospital farm'
St. Luke's University Hospital farm will double in size from five to 10 acres
8/7/2015
Designing women's and children's hospitals for both groups
The challenge is to create a separate identity for each groups while maximizing operational efficiencies and collaboration, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
8/7/2015
Survey says ES managers getting increased responsibilities
Compensation levels for environmental services managers are also rising
8/6/2015
Hospital closed emergency room after flood cuts power
A burst underground pipe caused the basement of the Royal Berkshire hospital in Reading, England, to flood
8/6/2015
Historic N.Y.C. building becomes freestanding ED
Original Joseph Curran Building transformed into adjunct to Lenox Hill Hospital
8/6/2015
Homelike design trending in healthcare design
Converting traditionally clinical interiors into warm, homelike spaces can improve patient satisfaction and facilitate healing, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
8/6/2015
Philadelphia hospital design incorporates playfulness
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's (CHOP) new Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care was designed to make patients' experience convenient
8/6/2015
Q&A on smoke compartment barrier doors
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on smoke compartment barrier doors
8/6/2015
Advance SC500 Walk-Behind Scrubber with EcoFlex provides improved productivity and sustainability
8/6/2015
Alera Lighting introduces two new linear LED lighting fixtures — plank and curv radial lens
8/6/2015
Texas hospital says issues will be fixed before Medicare and Medicaid contract is terminated
Government has notified Good Shepherd Medical Center that its contract will be terminated unless it addresses issues including nonsterile surgical instruments
8/5/2015
Flashback photo: 1949 Illinois hospital fire kills 74
Tragedy leads to national fire safety improvements
8/5/2015
Virginia hospital tower opens after 10-year journey
Five-story West Tower at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, Va., replaced the 38-year-old, 250-bed hospital within its own footprint
8/5/2015
Kids' zone at Texas hospital gets upgrade
Texas Children's Hospital got an upgrade and then some when the area was expanded to serve a broader age range of with new programming and activities, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
8/5/2015
Survey reports hospitals' green challenges
Health Care Facilities Sustainable Operations Survey says the No. 1 challenge in implementing sustainability initiatives is competing investments and spending priorities
8/5/2015
NIOSH probing cleaning product exposure
Researchers will study the types of exposures and the levels at which cleaning products trigger respiratory issues
8/5/2015
Trane expands series of cold generator scroll chillers to include traditional and compact models
8/5/2015
AirBNB-style company could change healthcare
Software allows different hospitals within the same healthcare system to share expensive surgical equipment
8/4/2015
The ever-changing physician real estate market
Local, state and federal healthcare regulations significantly impact the size, type and location where physicians provide patient care
8/4/2015
Healthcare facilities harmony with natural surroundings recognized
Vermont Psychiatric Hospital and Mayo Health Clinic recognized by 11th Design & Health World Congress for design excellence
8/4/2015
Correct labeling: Keeping patients safe
Simple and often inexpensive steps can be taken to prevent mistakes that lead to injuries, infections and deaths
8/4/2015
U.K. hospital asks staff to give up toasters and kettles to reduce fire risk
Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary's fire alarm problems mean workers at the hospital are also making hourly safety checks
8/4/2015
Park Nicollet Women's Center focuses every detail on patient
The light-filled space uses well-known design elements like colorful furniture, artwork and complimentary beverages to create a relaxing and welcoming setting, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website.
8/4/2015
Managing digital data
The building information modeling data process needs to be managed so that it is structured effectively from the outset of a heealthcare building project
8/4/2015
Indiana hospital opens ICU with massage beds, negative pressure rooms
The new ICU is part of a $40 million renovation to St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart
8/3/2015
Reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections
Effective cleaning along with appropriate disinfection practices can reduce infection transmission in the healthcare setting
8/3/2015
Hawaii hospitals installing solar panels
Kaiser Permanente Hawaii adding first photovoltaic system as part of energy savings initiative
8/3/2015
Hospital supply chains struggle with superbug issues
Hospitals stocking up on supplies to fight potential outbreaks
8/3/2015
A smart equipment maintenance plan can cut costs safely
Improving equipment maintenance and repair processes could help healthcare facilities with their bottom lines
8/3/2015
Poughkeepsie healthcare facility adds dial-up room service
Vassar Brothers Medical Center patients can chose and order meals from a customized menu and eat when it suits them
8/3/2015
Tech should be an early focus of a nursing home project
Developers of long-term and post-acute care facilities must invest in a full range of cutting-edge technology in their buildings
8/3/2015