- September 2015
Chicago hospital's plan to merge pediatric, adult ERs criticized
Stroger Hospital's merger plan spurred by a lower volume of pediatric cases
9/30/2015
Dignity Health plans $220 million in renovations
California health system plans a multi-phase improvement project across its 39-hospital network
9/30/2015
Health system uses IT with acquisition strategy
Citizen Memorial Hospital focusing on connecting its system
9/30/2015
Mass. hospital practices emergency planning
Lowell General Hospital prepares for disaster with an all-hazards plan
9/30/2015
Q&A on fire-rated barriers vs. smoke compartment barriers
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on fire-rated barriers vs. smoke compartment barriers
9/30/2015
Union Village to be first integrated health village
Henderson, Nev., project will be first to integrate a healthcare center into retail, entertainment, residential and senior living, and culture centers, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/30/2015
Seresco adds compact cabinet models to NE Series for small pool/spa room HVAC dehumidification
9/30/2015
Hospitals issue debt at fastest pace in three years
More nonprofit hospital bonds are being issued as concerns over the Affordable Care Act largely fade
9/29/2015
N.C. hospital first to use certified mobile compounding cleanroom
Duke Raleigh Hospital to use mobile cleanroom to assure uninterrupted pharmacy services
9/29/2015
307 hand-washing stations set for Jamaican healthcare facilities
Regional Health Authority is installing the stations as part of measures to improve infection control
9/29/2015
BIM can bring efficiency to facility management
A building information model (BIM) allows facilities managers to share information about building components from initial design through ongoing maintenance
9/29/2015
Federal funding may let VA finish Denver hospital
Funding measure would let the VA transfer $625 million from other accounts in its own budget
9/29/2015
What will tomorrow's OR look like?
The real question is how to transform a "simple" box into a 21st century technology-fueled, infection-free, and sleek surgical environment, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/29/2015
What will tomorrow's OR look like?
The real question is how to transform a "simple" box into a 21st century technology-fueled, infection-free, and sleek surgical environment, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/29/2015
Illuminating Engineering Society recognizes four Eaton LED products for technical achievement
9/29/2015
Bacteria-fighting copper making a comeback in hospitals
Hospitals are installing copper components on 'high-touch' surfaces
9/28/2015
Winston-Salem hospital overhauling dining venues
Wake Forest Baptist hospital is renovating its main cafeteria and other branded eatery spots on its main campus
9/28/2015
Meeting the emergency management requirement
Each of the six EM areas should be broken down to identify single-point-of-failure items and critical consumable resources
9/28/2015
Infographic addresses when to use bleach in healthcare facility
Managing spending while attacking HAIs can be a tough balance
9/28/2015
Massachusetts hospital honored for sustainability
HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts has received a 2015 Redevelopment and Renewal Awards for sustainability impact, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/28/2015
UPMC hires international expert on mold outbreaks
Transplant program is suspended after a fourth person contracts a fungal infection
9/25/2015
Drywall poses danger at max-security psych hospital
Patients are destroying the drywall and make weapons from materials found inside
9/25/2015
Utah health system opens hospital-based simulation center
LDS Hospital simulation center is designed to increase patient safety and improve clinical outcomes through hands-on scenarios
9/25/2015
Securing protected health information during file disposal
When a healthcare provider changes facilities, it is important that they understand how to properly dispose of or transfer PHI
9/25/2015
Connecticut hospital doubles size of emergency department
New Milford Hospital expansion includes a more efficient triage space, a centralized nursing station and private patient rooms
9/25/2015
Careful specifications can prevent flooring failure
Flaws often begin to occur at the base with the concrete slab
9/25/2015
Nora Lighting's Cobalt Retrofit Downlights now feature 4'' deep cone reflectors, new finishes
9/25/2015
Fungal cases at UPMC put focus on lack of transparency
There are no laws that require requires hospitals to report fungal infections
9/24/2015
Operating room environment can address strategic challenges
When operating rooms have the correct levels of HVAC, they can help hospitals decrease risk of infection
9/24/2015
Cleaning standards at UK hospital questioned with 22 C. diff cases in four months
James Cook Hospital cited for a lack of adequate isolation facilities and standards of cleanliness
9/24/2015
Okla. hospital tripling square footage, adding no beds
St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital expansion designed to meet the changing needs of patients and their families
9/24/2015
Low-cost ways to improve environmental services
Report includes staff-based initiatives to improve operations
9/24/2015
Q&A on E Size O2 cylinders with handles
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on E Size O2 cylinders with handles
9/24/2015
Healthcare facilities prepare for extra patients during Papal visit
Hospitals also are getting ready to host the personnel who will tend to them
9/23/2015
Deaths of three patients with mold infections baffles UPMC
Officials struggling to find the source of the household mold
9/23/2015
Salt Lake City hospital opens simulation center
The 10,000 square-foot center is equipped with advanced simulation technology
9/23/2015
FDA warns about infections from bronchoscopes
Federal regulators expanded their warnings about medical scopes spreading infections
9/23/2015
Boston safety net hospital aims to become city's greenest
Boston Medical Center expects a 50% reduction by 2020
9/23/2015
Planning guide addresses radiology reading room design
Guide offers design information with hopes to reduce repetitive strain injuries among radiologists
9/23/2015
Evidence-based design should be part of behavioral healthcare projects
Facilities must be designed with the distinct needs of patients in mind
9/23/2015
Phifer introduces new petroleum savings & greenhouse gas avoidance calculator tool on website
9/23/2015
Mold outbreak at UPMC may have killed two patients
Toilets in UPMC Presbyterian's cardiothoracic intensive care unit may be source of fungal infections
9/22/2015
Planning adaptability into healthcare facility design
The evolution of healthcare is changing facility utilization and prompting the need to plan for the changes with design, acording to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/22/2015
Taking a closer look at waste-removal operations
More health systems are looking at ways to minimize waste and safely reduce waste-handling costs
9/22/2015
Best practices for an integrated healthcare facilities infrastructure
An infrastructure that includes the progressive integration of information systems with physical components is necessary to remain competitive in today's healthcare industry
9/22/2015
New sewage leak reported at Venice hospital
Latest sewage breach forced Venice Regional Bayfront Health to evacuate patients and wall off a section of the facility
9/22/2015
New $23 million healthcare facility planned for Tulsa area
Saint Francis Health System to build 49,000-square-foot Glenpool healthcare complex
9/22/2015
New 'SolarWarp 9 LED' Area/roadway light creates, stores, regenerates 100% of its own power
9/22/2015
Dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony officially opens new Shriners Hospitals for Children- Canada
9/22/2015
Ontario hospital doubles number of security guards
Guelph General Hospital's new program was a result of a security audit done in the emergency department
9/21/2015
Missouri medical tower has private rooms, room for growth
New 43,000-square-foot addition to Cox Medical Center South includes 124 new beds
9/21/2015
ES plays a growing role in fighting HAIs
Blog on CDC website says organisms that are difficult to kill and impossible to treat make environmental cleaning more important for the safety of patients
9/21/2015
MD Cancer Center ES manager honored
Facility Cleaning Decisions names 2015 Managers of Distinction
9/21/2015
Cleaning medical instruments with ultrasound
Ultrasonic device shown to reduce contamination and risk of infection
9/21/2015
Simple energy fixes = big savings for healthcare facilities
Small changes to the controls system for mechanical and electrical systems can have a big impact
9/21/2015
The next generation of energy efficiency programs can save 22% of electricity use in the year 2030
9/21/2015
UPMC mold infestation may be more serious
Mold was found in a several areas of the 20-bed cardiothoracic intensive care unit
9/18/2015
Florida children's hospital 'topped out' with palm tree
New 128-bed Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida is scheduled to open in 2017
9/18/2015
Need for memory care spurring facility upgrades
Seniors and their families are demanding additional amenities and homelike settings, according to an article on the Environments for Aging website
9/18/2015
Climate change offers opportunities for healthcare design
Healthcare facilities hold the moral authority to talk about the effects of climate change and lead efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resiliency, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/18/2015
Strategies for successful collaboration between infection prevention and environmental services to target zero HAIs
Studies suggest that when infection prevention (IP) and environmental services professionals work collaboratively, rates of infection transmission, process redundancies and costs are reduced
9/18/2015
Hunterdon Medical Center ES director honored
Facility Cleaning Decisions names 2015 Managers of Distinction
9/18/2015
Q&A on offsite fire drills
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on offsite fire drills
9/18/2015
Pittsburgh hospital Cardiothoracic ICU shut down due to mold
Eighteen patients at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital relocated because of the infestation
9/17/2015
Review of sterilizing procedures for reusable devices urged
CDC and FDA stressing public health need to properly maintain, clean and disinfect or sterilize devices
9/17/2015
Children's hospital reflects Canadian culture
The colors and attractions of the different regions of Canada were used as inspiration for design elements throughout the the new Shriners Hospitals for Children - Canada, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/17/2015
Emergency departments designed for efficiency
EDs are increasingly the primary entry point for hospital patients
9/17/2015
US hospital ship brings care to poor in Haiti
The USNS Comfort has 1,000 beds and 100 surgeries will be performed
9/17/2015
Masking noise and conversation in healthcare facilities
Technology uses loudspeakers to distribute an engineered background sound throughout a facility
9/17/2015
Using graphics to enhance medical experiences at St. Louis Children's Specialty Care Center
9/17/2015
ES staff hand hygiene is key to infection control
But often there is a lack of understanding and training
9/16/2015
Reusable instruments can be an infection issue for outpatient facilities
Infection-spreading medical devices include a range of reusable instruments
9/16/2015
Surveillance cameras key to overall security program
Surveillance systems can enhance access control, reduce theft and provide another opportunity to protect individuals, information and the hospital campus
9/16/2015
Health organization urges safe, 'smart' hospitals in Caribbean
Effort designed to ensure the facilities can function during disasters and reduce their environmental footprint
9/16/2015
N.Y. hospital's green expansion includes co-gen plant
Plant will produce 90 percent of facility's daily electricity needs
9/16/2015
The business case for combined heat and power
Decision makers should know of financing alternatives for economically viable CHP projects
9/16/2015
ES 'Departments of the Year' honored
Northside Hospital and Seton Medical Center Williamson win magazine's award
9/15/2015
Healthcare design can improve care, saves money
Experts believe that through 2017, the United States will spend more than $200 billion to refurbish or build new facilities
9/15/2015
Healthcare facility managers need to be flexible
The healthcare facility manager's ability to adapt increasingly important with Affordable Care Act
9/15/2015
Special legal and financial factors should be considered for healthcare lease guaranties
A lease is only as strong as the guarantor's financial condition
9/15/2015
Orlando emergency center for kids first in region
The 12-bed pediatric emergency department, opening at Florida Hospital's east Orlando campus
9/15/2015
San Antonio child guidance center expansion to streamline operations
Clarity Child Guidance Center renovation will also provide additional space for clinicians and enhance the therapeutic recreation program, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/15/2015
Why aren't more facility managers embracing sustainability?
Not every facility manager is able to prioritize energy efficiency projects
9/14/2015
Rural Illinois hospital to transition to outpatient care
Hospital Sisters Health System and OSF Healthcare System will transition healthcare services in Streator from HSHS to OSF
9/14/2015
Engaging stakeholders in operating room design
Including surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nursing staff early in the design process is essential to creating ownership and offers opportunities for innovation, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/14/2015
Cambridge hospital project monitored with webcam
Papworth Hospital project in U.K. installed a live time-lapse camera
9/14/2015
Nonclinical staff have role in patient satisfaction
Nonclinical staff should consider the myriad ways they can help to improve patient outcomes
9/14/2015
Design awards recognize healing atmosphere, efficiency
Modern Healthcare Design Award winners refine the healing environment concept and integrate the principles of value-based design
9/14/2015
The Carpet and Rug Institute unveils important changes to leading carpet installation standards
9/14/2015
Hospital, punk music festival settle noise, parking issues
Compromises include restoring parking on the street in front of the hospital and monitoring sound within the hospital
9/11/2015
Practice Greenhealth releases sustainability report
Report encourages hospitals to improve sustainability efforts
9/11/2015
San Antonio senior care facility designed to reflect city's heritage
Franklin Park Alamo Heights will mix Spanish and Germanic design elements and focuses on the preferences of baby boomers, according to an article on the Environments for Aging website
9/11/2015
Flexible OR design key to healthcare facility bottom line
Designers are being asked to help implement trends like hybrid operating rooms, while building environments that address both patient and staff satisfaction, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/11/2015
Wall technology designed to withstand earthquakes
120 viscous wall dampers in new California hospital will help to reduce lateral movement
9/11/2015
How to control flooring costs
Costs can climb as high as 10 to 15 percent of a construction budget if flooring fails
9/11/2015
Safety protocols questioned after patient dies after falling from hospital balcony
Saint John Regional Hospital patient fell from a balcony to the hospital's lobby below
9/10/2015
New hospital compliance resources available
Joint Commission adds resources to physical environment portal
9/10/2015
Quebec superhospital plagued by sewage floods
SNC-Lavalin and the McGill University Health Centre working to fix recurring daily backups
9/10/2015
Europe's oldest hospital gets green energy upgrade
London's St Bartholomew's Hospital is investing in a combined cooling, heat and power plant to help boost the capital's energy security
9/10/2015
Sioux City hospitals increase security, training
Hospital staff trained as trainers for active shooter situations
9/10/2015
Q&A on suite boundary
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on suite boundary
9/10/2015
CuVerro leads way to cleaner healthcare environments at workshop with center for healthcare design
9/10/2015
New Plug Load Controller measurably reduces electricity consumption in commercial buildings
9/10/2015
EPA hazardous medications rule means big changes
New rule appears broader than prior proposals and creates new recordkeeping and notification requirements
9/9/2015
Natural disasters can hit healthcare finances hard
Emergency preparedness plans sometimes don't survive a natural disaster
9/9/2015
VA believes Congress will OK funds for Colo. hospital
Head of healthcare system expected to get additional $625 million in October to complete over-budget facility
9/9/2015
Saudi behavioral health facility carefully zoned
The King Abdulaziz Medical City Behavioral Health Facility was developed to be operationally manageable and therapeutic, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/9/2015
Ontario hospital gets LEED Silver
Markham Stouffville Hospital receives the certification for its 385,000-square-foot expansion
9/9/2015
Networked lighting systems can unlock a healthcare facilities connectivity
The systems' capabilities include occupancy and vacancy sensing, flexible programming, task tuning and daylight harvesting
9/9/2015
Kansas Hospital selects Spectra254 UVC light disinfection solutions to eliminate HAIi's on surfaces
9/9/2015
Safer Hospital project recommends Earth Mama products for chemical-free perinatal and newborn care
9/9/2015
Dementia villages offer normalcy, security
Facilities that mimic every day life beneficial to dementia patients
9/8/2015
Audio features part of patient-centered healthcare environment
Hospitals are moving away from a multiple speakers in traditional patient rooms to fewer, better speakers in private rooms
9/8/2015
Contractors can sink an accreditation survey
Healthcare facility staff should try and control the process as much as possible
9/8/2015
New technologies changing healthcare
Information technology will increasingly alter how and where healthcare is accessed and delivered
9/8/2015
Utah building new assisted-care living facility for baby boomers
Project to marry affordable housing with healthcare
9/8/2015
Healthcare designs address budgets with creativity
Healthcare projects that planned, designed and built when the market was in flux addressed budget consideration with smart design, according to an article on the healthcare Design website
9/8/2015
Technology boosts hand-washing compliance from 25 to 98 percent
Indiana University Health foodservice department implements system that uses the RFID chip in an associate's badge
9/4/2015
Theft and budgets keep hospital's coffee under lock and key
The emergency department at Australia's Canberra Hospital to lock up the coffee and tea supplies due to budget restrictions and suspected theft
9/4/2015
Coordinating workplace violence prevention with community partners
A quality provider with experience in the industry will be familiar with best practices and standards that will enhance your plan
9/4/2015
Children's hospital installs a germ-zapping robot
The device is used as an extra layer of patient protection after hospital staff has cleaned the area
9/4/2015
Largest Mass. healthcare system opens first urgent care facility
Partners Healthcare plans to open two more sites
9/4/2015
Hospital pharmacies becoming more centralized
New designs better leverage clinical pharmacists' expertise as part of the medical team and deliver medication to patient units more efficiently, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/4/2015
Four die from Legionnaires' at Illinois VA facility
Twenty-nine cases of have been confirmed connected with the Illinois Veterans Home
9/3/2015
Bethesda hospital to get $273 million upgrade
Suburban Hospital to unify campus with new facility and parking structure
9/3/2015
San Diego hospital's central plant gets LEED Gold
Facility is the first stand-alone medical center energy plant to achieve this distinction
9/3/2015
Organizations share facility to bring wellness services to community
Ohio's Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany brings together multiple healthcare services under one roof, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/3/2015
Sarasota hospital is storm-ready
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has protocols in place to protect patients
9/3/2015
Sound panels tested to reduce hospital noise
University of Michigan Health System study found that strategically placed sound acoustic panels helped diffuse sound in the hallways
9/3/2015
Kansas City hospital adds 'violence interrupters' to security efforts
'Interrupter's' job is to quell urges of retaliatory violence among shooting, stabbing and assault survivors and the victims' social circle
9/2/2015
Missouri hospitals working to prevent nurses' injuries
State is one of 11 requiring facilities to adopt safety initiatives
9/2/2015
Conducting an organizational study - evaluating your internal team
The organization of the owner's internal team can dramatically affect project delivery
9/2/2015
MOB planned with efficiency in mind
Scott & White Healthcare built a medical office building next to its new hospital to reduce travel time for specialists and make care more convenient for patients, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/2/2015
Hospitals are designing for bigger patients
The bariatric population - typically defined as patients having a body mass index of 40 or higher - isn't an afterthought in new design
9/2/2015
Q&A on the path of egress through a construction area
In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question on the path of egress through a construction area
9/2/2015
Spectra254's patented 1000 Series UVC disinfection system kills 99.99 percent of airborne pathogens
9/2/2015
Dirty surgical equipment may have been used on 12,000 pediatric patients
Seattle hospital advises those who visited surgery center to get tested for hepatitis, HIV
9/1/2015
New NOLA hospital is built to survive the worst
Ten years after Katrina, University Medical Center New Orleans was built to withstand pretty much anything Mother Nature can throw at it
9/1/2015
Four ways to save money while running a hospital
The average cost of running a small city hospital is nearly $200,000 a day not including clinicians' wages.
9/1/2015
Mass. hospital gets new $25 million emergency department
Morton Hospital in Taunton unveils 41,000-square-foot ED features a 'pod system' to help segregate patients based on the severity of their injury or ailment
9/1/2015
Nurses getting more of a voice in design process
A book will be published this fall to guide nurses through the design process with practical information and case studies, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website
9/1/2015
Bike patrol targets smokers on Boston hospital campus
Brigham and Women's Hospital security guards check for smokers while making rounds on bikes
9/1/2015
Building automation can improve patient experience
Today's technology is allowing FMs to provide greater individual control in patient room
9/1/2015