- September 2018

Boston VA hospital patient infected with Legionnaires’

The hospital is retracing the patient’s movements to find the source of the infection

9/28/2018

Ebola, Marburg outbreaks infected high percentage of healthcare workers

Findings highlight need to strengthen infection-control practices

9/28/2018

Healthcare facilities can do more to prevent infections

Hospital-acquired infections can be reduced with evidence-based prevention and control strategies

9/28/2018

Six key steps to creating a safe hospital environment for patients, visitors and staff

The ability to control access remotely, to confirm identity quickly and easily, and to program varying levels of access for visitors, patients, doctors and staff is an absolute necessity

9/28/2018

Three Boston hospitals fined for letting TV shows film on site

Each organization is required to re-train its workforce

9/28/2018

Energy management and information systems (EMIS) boost efficiency

Rapidly evolving software systems provide visibility and analysis into how a building consumes energy

9/28/2018

Healthcare facilities going high-tech to cater to millennials

Builders need to consider how buildings can accommodate the growing amount of technology

9/27/2018

Mayo Clinic expansion to include hotel

Mayo is partnering with a Singapore-based real estate developer to own and operate the hotel

9/27/2018

Indiana hospital back online after computer virus

The hospital was also placed on 'diversion' and all ambulances were sent to other hospitals

9/27/2018

'Heart of Healthcare' winner goes extra mile for patients

Environmental services aide from Hackensack University Medical Center recognized by the Association for the Health Care Environment

9/27/2018

Healthcare analytics market to observe rapid expansion

Hospitals will be the prominent technology end-users

9/27/2018

Surviving outages and shutdowns

Power outages and shutdowns create the same level of stress. The challenge is to make these outages and shutdowns progress smoothly and finish on time within scope and on budget.

9/27/2018

IT challenges to tossing fax machines

Many providers have held onto this antiquated system of communication for decades

9/26/2018

Green Building Council Institute adopts RELi resilience standard

The new standard will complement LEED’s Resilient Design pilot credits

9/26/2018

Regulations, Codes & Standards Q&A: Magnetic locks

Brad Keyes discusses regulations for magnetic locks

9/26/2018

Nurse describes patient's cleaning liquid death

The cleaning liquid was in a jug beside her bed at the Royal Sussex County Hospital

9/26/2018

'Hospital room in a box' could cut healthcare building costs

Modular hospital room features antimicrobial surfaces

9/26/2018

Lessons from the latest Congo Ebola outbreak

The biggest issue is we have not learned important lessons from prior Ebola outbreaks

9/25/2018

Studies explore environmental services professionals’ work habits, perceptions

Ninety-six percent of the facilities surveyed had a written cleaning policy for clinical areas

9/25/2018

Designing tomorrow's operating room

Technology is changing faster than facilities can be adjusted

9/25/2018

Repairs underway after Pennsylvania hospital finds mold

Mold found in 'small spots' in Chambersburg Hospital

9/25/2018

N.Y. clinic informed by hospitality design to create 'human' feeling

David H. Koch Center includes patient-centered design choices

9/25/2018

Two reasons why ambulatory care facilities struggle with infection control standards

The Joint Commission highlights problematic standards for office-based surgery practices

9/25/2018

South Carolina hospitals will take financial hit after hurricane

Hospitals transferred nearly 400 patients out of evacuation zone

9/24/2018

Making the case for energy efficiency

A communication gap between the CFO and facility managers can result in missing out on good efficiency projects

9/24/2018

Honored senior facilities push boundaries

Environments for Aging Design Showcase recognizes fresh approaches to senior living, according to an article on the Environments for Aging website

9/24/2018

Healthcare spending on energy efficiency expected to hit $6.4 billion by 2027

Energy is an area where relatively painless cost savings can be found

9/24/2018

Identifying plumbing upgrade goals

Water conservation, less maintenance and improved hygiene are all popular targets of system improvements

9/24/2018

Exit, Ebola: Infection control and the hospital exit room

Exit room concept eliminates dangerous backtracking of contamination within a medical facility.

9/24/2018

Tech lessons from healthcare facilities that survived recent natural disasters

Many hospitals are not ready for a natural disaster

9/21/2018

Jury awards plaintiffs $10 million for Chicago hospital security incidents

Doctor and six nurses filed a joint lawsuit for two separate incidents

9/21/2018

Hospitals train for mass shootings

Checking for weapons is part of the drill

9/21/2018

Hospital cleaning staffs retrained after Health Department finds dirty restrooms, floors, walls

Inspectors found numerous sanitation problems at two Lehigh Valley Health Network hospitals

9/21/2018

Minn. healthcare facility cited for secret videotaping

Federal investigation finds that Fairview Southdale in Edina violated privacy rights.

9/21/2018

Right de-icer/anti-icer can improve safety, save money

Hospital grounds maintenance staff are responsible for health and well-being of patients and creating a safe workplace in which clinical staff can care for patients

9/20/2018

One in four Florida nursing homes meet back-up power demands one year after heat-related deaths

No facilities have been fined or disciplined

9/20/2018

Intelligent energy management can cut costs for senior living communities

Facilities are looking for solutions to control costs and maintain budgets

9/20/2018

Shots fired at Los Angeles healthcare facility

Los Angeles Hospital staff and patients evacuated or sheltered in place

9/20/2018

Mayo plans $792 million facility investment in Florida, Arizona

The $648 million Arizona project will double the size of the existing Phoenix complex

9/20/2018

Healthcare facilities might not be prepared for some financial risks of hurricanes

Long-term effects of storms can linger years after

9/19/2018

Study offers first data-driven estimate of number of suicides in U.S. hospitals

Findings based on these data showed that approximately 49 to 65 hospital inpatient suicides occur each year in the United States, far fewer than the widely cited estimate of 1,500 per year.

9/19/2018

Brigham and Women’s Hospital uses temporary wall containment during renovation

Temporary wall containment needed for infection control requirements

9/19/2018

Regulations, Codes & Standards Q&A: Portable space heaters

Brad Keyes discusses regulations for portable space heaters

9/19/2018

Hurricane season tests disaster recovery plans

Nearly half of providers report that they lack a comprehensive disaster recovery plan

9/19/2018

Designing for LTC patients under 65

According to the 2015 data, in 2014 15.5 percent of long-term care patients were under 65, up from 10 percent in 1998

9/19/2018

Cleaning fluid hospital death sparks safety concerns

The incident has raised questions about the facility's 'jug system,' about how the jugs are washed and cleaned and how the housekeeping staff know which bedside tables to put them on

9/18/2018

Biggest hospital construction projects in August

Pittsburgh's Allegheny Health Network $1 billion expansion the largest

9/18/2018

CDC and The Joint Commission release free new infection control resources

Resources address podiatry and orthopedic and pain management settings

9/18/2018

Evaluating facility security vulnerabilities

Criminal activity requires opportunity

9/18/2018

Hospitals are boosting hygiene practices to fight superbugs

One of the best ways to prevent ransomware attacks is to educate employees

9/18/2018

Defending against ransomware attacks

One of the best ways to prevent ransomware attacks is to educate employees

9/18/2018

A year after Hurricane Irma, there are still nursing home preparedness concerns

Nursing homes hit by disaster often struggle to execute emergency plans and protect residents

9/17/2018

Study says paper towels spread fewer bacteria than air hand dryers in hospital bathrooms

Jane Phillips Medical Center/St. John Health System, Bartlesville, Okla., is the 2018 Environmental Services Department of the Year Winner in the 1-249 bed category

9/17/2018

Oklahoma medical center ES team finds success with 10-step program

Jane Phillips Medical Center/St. John Health System, Bartlesville, Okla., is the 2018 Environmental Services Department of the Year Winner in the 1-249 bed category

9/17/2018

Avoiding building envelope commissioning pitfalls

Though building envelope design and construction seems straightforward, these steps can help ensure a successful construction and commissioning process

9/17/2018

Ergonomic flooring installation offers comfort, function to new pediatric mental health facility

The specification of the design materials required additional attention to safety

9/17/2018

Monkeypox diagnosed in UK for first time

The patient travelled to London from Nigeria

9/14/2018

California senior-facilities’ staffs allegedly abandoned residents during Tubbs Fire

State regulators moved to revoke the licenses of two Santa Rosa senior housing facilities

9/14/2018

Facility design adjusting to Dallas area's shifting healthcare landscape

Empathetic facility designs address current market priorities

9/14/2018

D.C. sister clinics use color to brand shared space

Designers saved space and maximize efficiencies by designing the two clinics with a shared reception and waiting area, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website

9/14/2018

Children’s Medical Center Dallas puts employees first to improve performance

The Texas facility is the 2018 Environmental Services Department of the Year winner in the 250-499 bed category

9/14/2018

IoT security is critical to healthcare

Traditional cybersecurity sometimes lapses when it comes to the IoT

9/14/2018

How UC Medical Center dealt with Cincinnati shooting

UCMC is a Level I trauma center, the only such facility in the region

9/13/2018

Facilities as strategic assets: Navigating the digital transformation of building products and services

The building products, services and solutions industry is being transformed

9/13/2018

Facility managers play crucial role in healthcare commissioning

The FM must be involved in each phase of design, construction, and commissioning, from developing owner's project requirements to creation of a systems manual.

9/13/2018

Common life-safety violations that can mean lost funding

Government funding involves multiple organizations that all have different standards healthcare facilities must uphold

9/13/2018

Award-winning ES hospital team uses tried-and-true methods

Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, Ill., is the 2018 Environmental Services Department of the Year Winner in the 500+ bed category

9/13/2018

LEDs can light the way significant savings

LED upgrades benefit occupants and the bottom line

9/13/2018

VA adding staff after rust and blood were found on surgical instruments

The VA reported recently that there were about 40,000 job vacancies at the Veterans Health Administration

9/12/2018

Teen kills herself in 'suicide-proof' bedrooms hospital unit

The area of the Glasgow healthcare facility was designed with 'safe' bedrooms

9/12/2018

Erie VA hospital receives decade of upgrades

Expansion and renovation projects started in 2008 and will continue through at least 2020

9/12/2018

Regulations, Codes & Standards Q&A: Fire extinguishers

Brad Keyes discusses regulations for fire extinguishers

9/12/2018

2018 Environmental Services Departments of the Year named

The award recognizes and celebrates best practices in cleaning and caring for the healthcare environment efficiently and effectively

9/12/2018

Mass. hospice designed to be uplifting

Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln, Mass., is a functional and uplifting environment for the staff, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website

9/12/2018

Prioritizing hospital CEOs’ #1 priority: Cost control and the physical environment

Even as hospitals and their systems grow larger, 62 percent of surveyed CEOs identify “preparing the enterprise for sustainable cost control” as their top priority.

9/11/2018

Charlotte's largest healthcare providers are increasing security

Atrium is reducing access points to its facilities by 45 percent

9/11/2018

Study says Chicago hospital service workers underpaid

The study found that wages have been stagnant for hospital service workers, despite indicators of increasing industry demand and better-educated workforce

9/11/2018

Step aside millennials: Welcome the new kids on the block

Modern software can ease the challenge and facilitate adjustments, helping HR teams respond with agility to workforce generational changes.

9/11/2018

Alternative strategies can eliminate rock salt in snow removal plan

Pre-spreading salt brine and using potassium formate may allow facility managers to eliminate rock salt

9/11/2018

Specific environmental strategies needed in infection control

World Health Organization offers first-ever priority pathogens list

9/11/2018

Florida judge invalidates 14 assisted living code provisions

A proposed rule that would have required hand-washing by staff members after every resident contact was invalidated

9/10/2018

Hospitals can be difficult to protect from gun violence, experts say

Staffing, equipment can be cost-prohibitive

9/10/2018

IoT in healthcare can lead to drastic increase in productivity

Most healthcare tech devices come with some form of connectivity

9/10/2018

Hospital achieves IoT equipment integration with LoRaWAN

9/10/2018

Creating a custodial cleaning plan

Infection control and refurbishment were cited as reasons for putting the beds off limits to patients on gurneys

9/10/2018

Overcrowding in Irish hospitals has almost 8,000 patients stuck on gurneys

Infection control and refurbishment were cited as reasons for putting the beds off limits to patients on gurneys

9/10/2018

Control measures working in Congo Ebola outbreak

The outbreak trend must be interpreted with caution, according to WHO

9/7/2018

Nurses fear increasing attacks by patients

Experts say the frequency and severity of attacks on nurses and other front-line hospital staffers has risen substantially during the past decade

9/7/2018

23 infants infected by contaminated equipment at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

August 2016 outbreak linked to 'lack of standard cleaning practices'

9/7/2018

Senior care facility cited in death of woman in hospital building stairwell

75-year-old woman was found dead in the stairwell of locked power plant building

9/7/2018

Children’s hospital stages active shooter drills for ER

Children’s Health Children’s Medical Center Dallas began simulations in August of 2016

9/7/2018

Cybersecurity in healthcare evolves with threats

The healthcare industry is one of the top sectors at the highest risk of cybersecurity

9/7/2018

Safety nets installed after glass panel falls from hospital

Panels have fallen from the building at least three times since it opened

9/6/2018

Energy upgrade to save hospital 2 million pounds in first year

Project also expected to cut 10,000 tons of CO2 in a year

9/6/2018

Heathcare facility floors getting more attention in infection control efforts

Disposable mops may cut down on contamination

9/6/2018

Using bulk soap dispensers comes with risks

Certain types of bacteria will grow well in refillable type dispensers

9/6/2018

Tips for hiring healthcare cybersecurity pros

Cybersecurity requires people from all backgrounds and majors

9/6/2018

The role of auditing in cleaning and disinfection

Nurses play a vital role in healthcare settings

9/5/2018

Honored rehab facility gave translational medicine a whole new approach

The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is designed so that clinicians, researchers and scientists work together to shorten the time it takes to discover new treatments, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website

9/5/2018

NIST issues guidance for protecting medical IoT devices

The publication covers how to secure against a variety of cyberattacks

9/5/2018

Regulations, Codes & Standards Q&A: Emergency power generators

Brad Keyes discusses regulations for emergency power generators

9/5/2018

LTC managers urged to embrace new maintenance technology

It is important that all maintenance tasks and activities be organized and efficient

9/5/2018

Taking the sting out of snow and ice removal

By addressing issues such as outsourcing, facility needs, levels of services now, managers can streamline responses to storms when winter comes

9/5/2018

Nonsworn campus security officers' wages have not kept up with inflation

Campus Safety 2018 Salary and Benefits Study says the starting median income for nonsworn officers hasn't changed since 2015

9/4/2018

University of Iowa ordered to pay $21.5 million+ to hospital contractor

University has been fighting with Stead Family Children’s Hospital contractor for a year

9/4/2018

Survey finds many healthcare providers fall short on cybersecurity

A significant percentage of healthcare facilities are struggling to meet privacy and data security standards

9/4/2018

Texas 'neighborhood hospital' designed for efficiency

CapRock Health's support areas are positioned for easy access by staff, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website

9/4/2018

Understanding energy-saving water heater options

Advances in technology in domestic hot water delivery are worth a fresh look

9/4/2018

What healthcare must understand about cybersecurity

Healthcare organizations continue to be the subject of attacks by hackers seeking access to patient data for resale on the black market

9/4/2018