Groundskeeping - October 2014

Florida nursing home cited for rats

Citrus Gardens, in Fort Myers, Fla., was cited by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for a rat infestation, according to an article on the Long-term Living website

10/31/2014

Laundry council backs CDC Ebola guidelines

The Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) is advising healthcare laundries to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on processing Ebola-related linens

10/31/2014

Fire-rated door frame Q&A

In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about fire-rated door frames

10/31/2014

Hospitals review infection control practices amid Ebola fears

Experts say renewed education and training efforts may lead to more hospitals revamping their protocols and being more prepared in the future

10/30/2014

Ebola risk management tips for healthcare facilities

Internal risk management strategy should include the establishment of policies, training and demonstrable due diligence

10/30/2014

Green initiatives gaining favor with hospitals

Sustainability believed to be a deciding factor for patients when choosing hospitals, survey says

10/30/2014

N.Y. prison expands medical facility

$32 million expansion of the Mohawk Correctional Facility designed to be safer and more cost-effective

10/30/2014

Health system switches to meats without unnecessary antibiotics

Morrison Healthcare Partners with Health Care Without Harm in serving meat and poultry without unnecessary antibiotics

10/30/2014

Optimizing lighting and HVAC control can save money

Light and HVAC play a critical role in creating an ideal healing environment

10/29/2014

Facilities professionals must communicate how they contribute to the organization as a whole

The evolving healthcare industry may offer new opportunities for facility managers prepared to take advantage of them

10/29/2014

Download free whitepaper on hand hygiene

Paper on Infection Control Today website discusses the effects of hand hygiene on skin

10/29/2014

About one in six doctor visits will be virtual in 2014

Virtual visits are expected to save $5 billion this year

10/29/2014

Mandatory Ebola quarantine criticized

Doctors Without Borders, the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology disagree with the states' actions

10/28/2014

Controlling allergies in a long-term living facility

A blog on the Long-Term Living website offers five environmental tips to surviving allergy season

10/28/2014

Testing can help clarify wayfinding system

Munson Medical Center's process improvement exercises helped pinpoint problems in their signage and communication, according to an article on the Healthcare Design website

10/28/2014

Prevent winter pest problems

As colder weather drives pests indoors, integrated pest management minimizes the risk of infestations

10/27/2014

Pittsburgh facility ups hand-hygiene compliance to nearly 100 percent

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian initiative includes education and accountability measures

10/27/2014

NYC healthcare workers readying for Ebola

Workers urged to calm rampant public fears over Ebola

10/24/2014

Liquid oxygen transfilling Q&A

In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about liquid oxygen transfilling operations

10/24/2014

N.J. bill would give power-restoration priority to healthcare facilities

Electric companies say healthcare facilities are already among the first customers they consider when getting service back to normal after an extended outage

10/24/2014

Hospital security departments bracing for Ebola impact

Hospitals are re-examining their plans to ensure they are prepared to meet the challenges

10/23/2014

Twin Cities hospitals help anchor local food movement

Most medical centers and colleges have come together to broaden their collective impact by purchasing more local goods and services

10/23/2014

UK hospital criticized for filthy conditions

Patient sat on a pressure cushion covered in previous patient's feces for a week, according to family

10/23/2014

Facility managers feeling effect of healthcare industry changes

Industry veteran says facility managers need to stay involved or risk being left behind

10/23/2014

Western Massachusetts hospital earns LEED HC Gold

The project's brownfield site was once a rope mill and included salvageable brick and other materials that were incorporated into the new structure

10/23/2014

CDC issues stronger standards for Ebola healthcare workers

Updated protocols include personal protective equipment that covers the entire body and leaves no skin exposed

10/22/2014

Ebola units have few rooms

Only four hospitals in the country have high-level containment units and each has the capacity to treat only a handful of Ebola patients at once

10/22/2014

Maintaining Joint Commission accreditation

Various state agencies utilize Joint Commission accreditation as a condition for Medicare payments, so accreditation is even more important with the Affordable Care Act

10/22/2014

San Antonio hospital energy investments save money

Sky Tower at University Hospital includes an array of energy-saving technology and building materials

10/22/2014

Energy measurement best practices for healthcare

Effective measurement and control can help ensure healthcare facilities get the best return on their energy investments

10/22/2014

UK hospital patient dies after dietary mistake

Croydon University Hospital staff gives patient solid food instead of liquids

10/22/2014

Ebola preparedness urged for clinics

Stand-alone clinics need to prepare themselves for patients with Ebola-like symptoms

10/21/2014

Ebola raises concerns over infection controls

The track record of the nation's hospitals in controlling other infections suggests a lot of them aren't prepared

10/21/2014

Iowa hospital works to decrease patient falls

Horn Memorial Hospital, Ida Grove, was one of three Iowa hospitals to be recognized by the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative for their success in significantly reducing their patient fall rate

10/21/2014

Improving hand-washing compliance

Hospitals are adopting direct observation, education and creative signage initiatives to increase hand washing among staff

10/21/2014

OSHA issues Ebola guidance

The agency is being urged to move forward with an infectious-disease rule initiated in 2010

10/20/2014

Appropriate technology key to hospital security

The goal should be balancing the need for a secure environment and allowing staff and visitors to move through a facility without too much hassle

10/20/2014

Detroit hospital considers outsourcing housekeeping

Move is part of a trend by hospital systems in Southeast Michigan and elsewhere

10/20/2014

Fiber optic cable Q&A

In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about fiber optic cable

10/20/2014

Ebola a workplace issue for healthcare facilities

Hospitals focusing on training, communication to diminish risk and worry

10/17/2014

Facility conditions key to controlling spread of viral hemorrhagic fever

Many of the hosts that carry hemorrhagic fever viruses are rodents

10/17/2014

Saskatoon hospitals warn of thefts

Hospitals advise greater precautions to deal with thefts from patients

10/17/2014

What if a flu pandemic were to happen tomorrow?

As part of a pandemic plan, hospitals should work with a security provider to focus on crowd control and restricted access or 'lockdowns'

10/17/2014

Hospital commits to reducing its carbon footprint

George Washington University Hospital will source enough zero-emission solar power to cover about one-third of its energy needs

10/17/2014

Hospital security a growing concern

Shootings, privacy breaches and theft are just some of the challenges that hospitals face daily

10/17/2014

Community health beyond just the data

According to a blog on the Healthcare Design website, focus groups, interviews and ethnographic studies can help clarify community needs

10/17/2014

Health officials discussing designated Ebola hospitals

Bellevue Hospital Center has agreed to take confirmed cases of Ebola from the 11 hospitals within the New York City Health and Hospitals Corp.

10/16/2014

CDC's how-to on treating Ebola safely

New York Times article includes instructions, charts and graphics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

10/16/2014

Nurses at Dallas hospital say there were no Ebola protocols

Union says guidelines were constantly changing on how to deal with the virus

10/16/2014

Housekeeping leader at senior care facility honored

Monique Walker, director of housekeeping Vi at Grayhawk, recognized with 'Managers of Distinction' Award

10/16/2014

TriRivers Health Partners installs integrated power management system

System supports healthcare IT requirements and electronic health record storage

10/16/2014

Many nursing homes still lack sprinklers

A total of 385 facilities in 39 states fail to meet requirements set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

10/16/2014

Hospitals can learn from Dallas' Ebola mistakes

U.S. hospitals are concerned that more Ebola patients will emerge, pushing them to buy more protective equipment, build new isolation rooms

10/15/2014

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center FM honored

Brian Tallmadge recognized with 'Managers of Distinction' Award

10/15/2014

Hopes realized seven years after Michigan hospital installs vegetative roof

Project enhances sustainability efforts as part of the hospital's stormwater management

10/15/2014

Choosing patient-unit flooring

A flooring mock-up can be an ideal way to show all the options

10/15/2014

Waste containers Q&A

In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes answered a question about waste containers

10/15/2014

Surgical fire prevention strategies

Between 550 and 650 surgical fires occur each year in the U.S.

10/15/2014

New case raises questions about treating Ebola in all hospitals

CDC considering whether patients with the virus should be transferred to hospitals with special containment units

10/14/2014

Free 'Building Commissioning for Hospitals' webcast Thursday

Webcast will include an in-depth examination of how existing building commissioning can be used to identify system improvements in hospitals to boost utility savings and capital ROI

10/14/2014

Firefighting in hospitals takes specialized training

One of the most complicated types of facilities that a firefighter will ever respond to is a healthcare center

10/14/2014

Infection-control problems found in Connecticut hospital

Community Health Services cited for inadequate handling of patients who arrive with a cough, fever or rash; unsanitary conditions and poor sterilization procedures

10/13/2014

Protecting healthcare workers from splash exposures

Splashes occur during workers' daily activities like emptying suction cups, spraying bedpans or changing fecal tubes of catheters

10/13/2014

Ensuring health facility firewall integrity

Constant construction, renovation and maintenance projects in hospitals can lead to compromises in firewall barriers

10/13/2014

Connecticut hospitals gear up for Ebola

Hospitals in the region say they have quarantine rooms at the ready

10/13/2014

When Ebola is suspected but not confirmed, linen should be left in the room until test results are obtained

If the tests show the patient is not infected, the linen can be processed according to regular procedure, if the patient has the virus, the linen should be discarded and treated as regulated medical waste

10/13/2014

A day at a Liberian Ebola clinic

An article in The New York Times examines a single day at the newly opened Ebola treatment center run by the International Medical Corps.

10/10/2014

Stabbed surgeon calls for safety boost in Australian hospitals

Secure entrances for hospital staff, restricted access to wards and regular security patrols of public areas urged for facilities

10/10/2014

Outstanding healthcare environmental services professionals honored

Honorees recognized for making a difference for patients and long-term care residents

10/10/2014

Virgin Island hospitals to be revamped to save energy

Some of the energy saving measures applied to the hospitals could save nearly $5 million annually

10/10/2014

California hospital gets seismic safety reprieve

New law allows Sutter Memorial Hospital to operate until Sept. 1, 2015 without meeting state earthquake safety rules

10/10/2014

CDC: Discard Ebola patient linens as regulated medical waste

CDC lists laundry and housekeeping staff as 'healthcare personnel' who should follow its recommendations during cleaning and disinfection activities

10/10/2014

Skilled nursing facility creates own TV station

Archie Hendricks Sr. Skilled Nursing Facility honored for technology that helps residents feel part of the nursing home and native communities

10/9/2014

Copper coated hospital beds help combat possible infections

UK hospital replaces high-touch surfaces - including bed rails, cabinet handles, chair arms, hand rails, switches and taps - with copper

10/9/2014

Single-use device reprocessing saves money and the environment

When hospitals discard items that can be reprocessed, they perpetuate the problem by creating unnecessary landfill waste

10/9/2014

U.S. nearing solution on Ebola waste issue

Experts warn that conflicting regulations could make it difficult for hospitals

10/8/2014

VA New Orleans replacement medical center has self-sustaining power plant

Plant has enough capacity for the campus to operate independently for up to five days in case of natural disaster

10/8/2014

U.S. has the healthcare system to stop Ebola

America has the facilities and equipment, public sanitation and communications infrastructure to contain outbreak

10/8/2014

Hand hygiene improves with monitoring

Study says healthcare workers' hand-hygiene compliance is better when other workers are present

10/8/2014

Feds may be lowering safety standards for Ebola waste

The Healthcare Coalition for Emergency Preparedness (HCEP) says the government will be lowering standards for disposing of Ebola waste in Dallas

10/7/2014

Calif. guv OKs one hospital workplace safety bill, vetoes another

Gov. Jerry Brown signed bill which imposes new requirements on hospitals for workplace violence plans and reporting

10/7/2014

Health system initiative to reduce red-bag waste

Inova Health System launches more aggressive waste-segregation and education strategy

10/7/2014

Book calls for detoxing healthcare

'Greening Health Care: How Hospitals Can Heal the Planet' says the healthcare industry produces waste and emissions that can make people sick

10/7/2014

CMMS success rests on having a plan, goals

Before installing a computerized maintenance management system, a facility needs a comprehensive view of how the system will function

10/7/2014

Hospital security can help contain Ebola virus

Policies and personnel can play a role in preventing the spread of Ebola

10/6/2014

Indiana health network forms its own police force

Parkview Health in Fort Wayne is first network in the state to have it's own force

10/6/2014

Environmental services 'secret weapon' against HAIs

Scientist says environmental services staff rarely appear on the radar of hospital administrators except when there's a need for budget cuts

10/6/2014

Scottish hospital not clean enough for HEI inspectors

Inspectors found contaminated linen on 'ready to use' patient beds

10/6/2014

Managing health facilities after a merger

As more health systems consolidate, facilities managers are seeing the emergence of centralized facility management

10/6/2014

Dealing with infectious disease

Issues hospitals should consider before handling an Ebola patient

10/3/2014

Electronic surveillance cuts death rates, study says

The use of an electronic physiological surveillance system correlated with two United Kingdom hospitals slashing mortality rates by more than 15 percent over the course of a year

10/3/2014