Groundskeeping - November 2013

Tool kit available for antimicrobial stewardship

Kit contains resources on planning, implementing and sustaining an antibiotic stewardship program for C. diff reduction

11/27/2013

Isolated Colorado hospital braces for winter after surviving flood

One road into Estes Park Medical Center remains drivable, but it is a circuitous route down the mountain that turns a 45-minute trip into a few hours

11/26/2013

Alternatives to incineration sought for medical waste

Clean air advocates argue for alternatives as other states send their waste to Utah for incineration

11/26/2013

Ontario hospital lauded for going green

Lakeridge Health Oshawa named Green Hospital of the Year by the Ontario Hospital Association

11/26/2013

Tips for ergonomic electronic medical records work environments

In the rush to accommodate electronic health records, facilities may be creating unnecessary risks to staff

11/26/2013

Confusion over handling of blood-saturated linen creating unnecessary costs

Trade groups seek clarification from OSHA on linen handling regulations

11/25/2013

Study says good nurse/cleaning staff relationships can improve care

Cultural and organizational barriers sometimes prevent good relationships between the two groups

11/25/2013

Isolation linked to patient dissatisfaction

Infection precautions create negative perception of care

11/25/2013

Designer talks about effects of Affordable Care Act

Initiative seen as a wake-up call for facility managers, urging them to become leaders with more responsibility for patient advocacy

11/25/2013

Bryan Medical Center simplifies onsite power operation

Hospital uses power monitoring and control system to instantly gather, process, analyze, and act on the huge volumes and velocity of data

11/25/2013

Geisinger Medical Center earns perfect ENERGY STAR score

A cogeneration plant boosts efficiency for the Pennsylvanis health campus

11/25/2013

Hidden cameras are finding their way into long-term care facilities after discoveries of abuse

Three states permit residents in long-term care facilities to maintain surveillance cameras in their rooms

11/22/2013

Tennesee health system to outsource all food and housekeeping services

The shift is expected to save the hospital about $3 million in both material and personnel costs

11/22/2013

Does enterprise architecture have a place in healthcare?

Enterprise architecture has emerged to help institutions in many markets build new operating models and connect their as-is and to-be business strategies and IT capabilities

11/22/2013

Middle East conference explores healthcare facility design

Event brought together design and health professionals and experts from around the world to explore how the design of urban and healthcare infrastructure can support health, well-being and quality of life

11/22/2013

China's medical waste piling up

Poor management and substandard facilities blamed for problems

11/22/2013

UK health board facing legal action over hospital asbestos

Asbestos found in plant room at Glasgow hospital, three other sites

11/21/2013

Smarter energy use can reduce operational costs

The latest building automation systems offer energy management features that allow hospital facilities managers to improve efficiency and save money

11/21/2013

Healthcare can learn from Homeland Security

Risk management never ends. New cyber threats, vulnerabilities and consequences require the constant modification of strategy

11/21/2013

Healthcare facility assessments offer a guide to the future

Administrators have limited capital to invest in facilities, yet they face seemingly limitless requests for improvements

11/21/2013

Medical apps may mean fewer doctor visits

There might not be a need for a receptionist in the doctor's office, or doctors may transition from standard offices to timeshare suites

11/20/2013

Some Illinois hospitals reducing infection, study shows

The hospital association report showed that 843 instances of patient harm were avoided, saving $18 million in health care costs

11/20/2013

Florida and Ohio healthcare providers honored for environmentally friendly pest management

Environmentally friendly pest management emphasizes multiple methods of non-chemical pest control and prevention

11/20/2013

Alabama hospital replaces beds for patient comfort, safety

Athens-Limestone Hospital's new beds part of $780,000 renovation project

11/20/2013

USB management in healthcare can be complicated

Storage capacity and portability make them efficient, useful and vulnerable

11/20/2013

Aging population will need larger emergency department capacity

Patients aged 60 to 80 used EDs less frequently but generally need more care and time, according to study

11/20/2013

Hospital reviews policies after TB infection death

Investigation showed Las Vegas facility did not follow proper visitor, protection guidelines

11/19/2013

Demonstrating the business case for infection control

The key reason for making the business case is the decision by the CMS not reimburse hospitals for potentially preventable events

11/19/2013

Raleigh, N.Y. hospital gets a power system upgrade

Upgrade increased Rex Hospital's emergency power generating capacity, boosted its fuel storage capacity and added a SCADA system

11/19/2013

ES must partner with nursing and infection control

Working together in a mutually supportive workplace culture is key to reducing risk

11/19/2013

IT trends shaping the future of healthcare

Beyond meaningful use, security and interoperability, these issues are top of mind for IT leaders

11/19/2013

Succession planning key to healthcare facilities teams' future

Recent survey shows 40 percent of healthcare facilities managers are older than 55 - an increase from 35 percent in the 2009 survey

11/18/2013

Researchers evaluate several aggressive chemistries for reduction of C. diff

Chlorinated lime and peracetic acid were statistically superior to acidified bleach and the non-antimicrobial handwash, according to the study

11/18/2013

Bath hospital wins bid to upgrade lighting

The Royal United Hospital Bath to receive 1.7 million pounds to upgrade lights throughout its buildings

11/18/2013

Hospitals should evaluate infection-prevention policies, survey suggests

The survey questions addressed policies including placement and maintenance of devices, evaluation of healthcare workers' competencies and outcomes evaluation

11/18/2013

Elevator safety controls 'overridden' in fatal Alabama hospital accident

Decatur Morgan Hospital employee killed when freight elevator falls on him

11/18/2013

Hospitals lauded for electronic medical record systems

All four Health First hospitals were recently recognized for their use of electronic medical record systems and advanced clinical technology

11/15/2013

Four tips for infection prevention and quality assurance

To motivate staff to stay on track, expert suggests designating someone as an infection preventionist who conducts quarterly infection control assessments and evaluations

11/15/2013

2.4 million pound grant to replace UK hospital heating system

Fairfield General Hospital's ageing coal-fired steam boiler plant will be replaced with a gas hot water system

11/15/2013

Topeka reduces in-hospital infections with statewide push

Stormont-Vail and St. Francis Health have taken measures to reduce a range of infections acquired during treatment

11/15/2013

Safety violations cited in fatal Indian hospital fire

One doctor died in recent fire at the Gokul Hospital, a private hospital in Mumbai that had no fire alarm

11/14/2013

Solar Suitcases provide light and power to health facilities cut off from modern electricity

Device allows midwives and doctors to deliver babies, conduct c/sections, treat pregnancy complications, and care for newborn babies in 25 countries

11/14/2013

Quarter of Portugal's patients who died in 2011 had hospital bug

According to the national health board, it is not known how many actually died from the bug

11/14/2013

St Louis hospital gets 'Storm Ready' status

The SSM St. Clare Health Center has been declared a Storm Ready supporter by the St. Louis National Weather Service

11/14/2013

Abington Memorial Hospital wins patient safety award

Pennsylvania hospital went 365 consecutive days without a serious safety event

11/14/2013

South Carolina Hospital ranked among world's safest

Baptist Easley Hospital was awarded the Program of Distinction Certification from the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety

11/13/2013

Radiology suite equipment failure results in patient death

A UK hospital patient bled to death during an operation after medics accidentally hit an emergency power off button with a cart

11/13/2013

UK energy initiatives to save 14 million pounds a year

UK Department of Health to fund about 70 plans to save 13.7 million pounds

11/13/2013

Hospitals' physician lounges are becoming ghost towns

Without a place to interact regularly with their colleagues, physicians face a profession that resembles a collection of silos

11/13/2013

How many people does it take to change a lightbulb in a hospital?

There is no one, easy answer to energy efficiency at health facilities, but British Columbia health authorities commit to devising a long-range strategic energy management plan

11/12/2013

What to do when biomed equipment is down

Facility managers share tips to get equipment working again

11/12/2013

Digital healthcare bringing many changes to how healthcare is delivered, study says

Healthcare technology may mean gains in efficiency, but it's not clear what happens to quality of care

11/12/2013

UK hospital trust in court over safety charge

Prosecution was brought after a Blackpool Victoria Hospital worker broke his arm in two places at the hospital's laundry department

11/12/2013

Gifford Medical Center ranks first in Vermont for energy efficiency

Hospital working toward being first in state to get 'Energy Star' rating

11/12/2013

Hospitals must make infection control part of the culture, expert says

Facilities must set clear expectations about safety behaviors; provide staff with education, skills and tools; and hold everyone accountable

11/12/2013

Canadian official says hospital infection control good, but can be better

Alberta's auditor general says while no patient is in immediate danger, the province can do a better job on infection control in healthcare facilities

11/11/2013

Midwest supermarket chain moves into health care

Schnucks opened its first infusion solutions facility in St Louis this fall to treat acute and chronic conditions

11/11/2013

Electronic health tools may cut in-person physician visits

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and The Commonwealth Fund say the growing use of health information technology and electronic-health apps will impact the future demand for physicians

11/11/2013

Hospital report cards get a report card

New York Hospital group releases ratings on hospital ratings systems

11/8/2013

Report examines health IT and quality measurement

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality report discusses the expectation that health IT-enabled quality measurement can make quality improvement possible

11/8/2013

Reprocessing equipment touted as saving money and waste

Presentation says healthcare as an industry produces the second largest amount of waste. Ten percent of the waste that is recyclable actually completes the process and 20 to 30 percent of healthcare waste is created in the operating room

11/8/2013

Parkland Hospital in Dallas designed to eliminate security, safety problems

The $1.2 billion replacement facility is being built across the street from the original hospital and is designed to eliminate some of the biggest concerns.

11/8/2013

Rural Arkansas hospitals get funds to connect to state HIE

Poorer critical access hospitals often struggle with electronic health record implementation costs

11/7/2013

Michigan health information exchanges connecting data

Great Lakes Health Information Exchange and Michigan Health Connect, the largest of six HIEs in Michigan, will connect more than 3,000 physician offices and 96 hospitals

11/7/2013

Smartphone locators becoming key to mobile workforce management

The number of users of smartphone-based workforce management services in Europe and North America is forecasted to grow from 0.8 million in 2012 to nearly 2.5 million by 2018

11/7/2013

Walgreens clinics recognized by Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care

AAAHC standards require clinics to be patient-centered, comprehensive, accessible and to coordinate care with all of the patients' primary care and specialty care provider teams

11/7/2013

What the U.S. can learn from India's healthcare system

Indian hospitals use a hub-and-spoke design, transfer of responsibility for routine tasks to lower-skilled workers and save money through old-fashioned frugality

11/6/2013

Research shows healthcare savings with retail clinics

New study says costs reduced further when nurse practitioners practice independently

11/6/2013

Nyack Hospital to install more than $1 million in energy and water conservation measures

Facility expects to conserve an estimated 12.4 million gallons of water and avoid the creation of 1,616,357 pounds of carbon dioxide annually

11/6/2013

Pathogens on soft surfaces often overlooked

Studies have shown that bacteria, viruses, and fungi can thrive on soft surfaces for extended periods of time

11/6/2013

Telemedicine: The days of dismissing it as a mere technology option are over

Advances in health care through audiovisual connections are allowing entirely different ways to spread specialty expertise around, cover shortages of professionals, compete in metropolitan areas and anticipate health reform

11/6/2013

Design decisions can help make hospital labs greener

Laboratory space is one of the worst offenders in energy and water use

11/6/2013

Project solutions: The future of healthcare and its impact on capital planning

Market dynamics, health system consolidation, the Affordable Care Act, payment reform, technological advances, and the ever-evolving and changing delivery of care are creating a new normal

11/5/2013

Impact of education, information on hand hygiene compliance studied

Rhode Island Hospital study showed compliance improve from 60 percent to 89 percent

11/5/2013

Florida healthcare systems food service operations entered futuristic realm.

Systems have improved how they store and prepare foods as well as how it's ordered and presented to the patient

11/5/2013

Pennsylvania senior nursing facility finishes $1 million in renovations.

Mount Carmel Senior Living Community celebrates 30th year with upgrades; rooms renovated, food service improved

11/5/2013

Study shows Veteran's Affairs MRSA initiative continues to make gains

A initiative required participating hospitals to implement a set of best practices, including nasal surveillance for MRSA, improved hand hygiene protocols and contact precautions

11/5/2013