Facility Operations - October 2018

A dozen real haunted hospitals

Article details spooky legends of the scariest healthcare facilities

10/31/2018

N.J. gives quick infection control training to three other facilities after deaths of 9 children

The education and training campaign on infection prevention and control practices targets the state’s other pediatric specialty hospitals

10/31/2018

Chicago nursing home security catches 'ghost' on security camera

Guard posts footage on Facebook, where it has racked up more than 2.5 million views

10/31/2018

N.J. facility where 9 children died from virus outbreak cited for deficiencies

The longterm care facility in Wanaque has been cited for infection control lapses in recent years

10/30/2018

Protecting healthcare IoT devices

Every healthcare IoT device from insulin pumps and diagnostic equipment to Remote Patient Monitoring is a potential target

10/30/2018

Hospitals seeing continued flow of patients from outside the area hit hard by hurricane

Northeast Florida hospitals say their facilities withstood the storm and now are serving more patients

10/30/2018

Do you have enough cardio suites for your structural heart and endovascular program?

Here are key contextual and analytical considerations as well as eight keys to decisively optimize strategy, planning and right sizing for structural heart program and endovascular facilities

10/30/2018

Should the Hippocratic Oath extend to protecting patient data?

One line in the modern version of the Oath stands out: 'I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know'

10/30/2018

Deer leaves a mess after jumping through N.C. healthcare facility window

A disoriented 8-point buck burst through the window of a Gastonia assisted living facility

10/29/2018

C diff. transmitted through non-critical items

Report says proper disinfection of tools is crucial

10/29/2018

Water scarcity makes case for conservation efforts

Access to potable water is a business continuity issue, but not enough organizations are prioritizing it

10/29/2018

Hospitals not confident about sustaining preparedness for outbreaks

Ninety-five percent of hospital administrators say other priorities reduce their ability to focus

10/29/2018

Woman assaulted twice inside Tacoma hospital

Tacoma General moved her to another wing after the first assault

10/29/2018

Tips to prevent infection and keep healthcare facilities clean

A flu outbreak among senior residents can lead to serious health complications and potentially life-threatening conditions

10/29/2018

7 children dead in virus outbreak at New Jersey healthcare facility

More are ill as a result of adenovirus at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Haskell

10/26/2018

Emergency department has role in climate change

ERs can tribute to climate change mitigation and must prepare to respond to effects

10/26/2018

Sunshine may kill bacteria in dust

Dust kept in the dark contained organisms closely linked to some respiratory diseases

10/26/2018

Health officials monitoring flu season

There are signs the current flu season will not be as widespread or deadly as last year

10/26/2018

C. diff. outbreaks linked to hospital linens

Study offers possible source for Clostridium difficile outbreaks

10/26/2018

WHO expects Congo's Ebola outbreak to worsen without increased response

It still does not yet constitute an international public health emergency

10/25/2018

Houston healthcare facility focusing on security issues

Ben Taub Hospital has had multiple acts of violence in recent years

10/25/2018

Montana hospital implements facility-wide infection-control strategy

New disinfection toolkit for environmental services and bleach-based protocol fight C. difficile

10/25/2018

Simple fixes for thermal comfort

Some thermal comfort issues can be addressed with simple fixes, while others require more time and investment. Here's what you need to know.

10/25/2018

Disinfectant selection is essential for effective cleaning

Adherence to the manufacturer’s label instructions is also key

10/25/2018

Diarrhea spores can survive hospital laundering's high temperatures

Washing bedsheets in a commercial washing machine with industrial detergent at high disinfecting temperatures failed to remove all traces of C. diff.

10/24/2018

Music's power to improve waiting room experience studied

Naval pilots concept uses music and nature to soothe

10/24/2018

Overcrowding at Bronx hospital E.R. leaves patient stuck in hallways

Montefiore Medical Center staff bracing for flu season

10/23/2018

Cybersecurity still possible on a tight budget

A good information security plan can be affordable

10/23/2018

Leapfrog to rate hospital outpatient settings, ASCs

Leapfrog will collect data on ambulatory surgery centers with a voluntary survey

10/23/2018

California law gives healthcare laundries more flexibility

The legislation will allow healthcare laundries to use lower wash temperatures and shorten the wash time

10/22/2018

Video surveillance can boost healthcare facility security

A network video system offers a wide range of possibilities to make a hospital less attractive for break-ins and robberies

10/22/2018

Quad Cities nursing home facing deadline to fix sewage leaks

Pleasant Valley facing state deadline to repair ongoing leaks from its wastewater treatment facility

10/22/2018

Indiana Hospital boosts power capacity

Terre Haute Regional Hospital invested in additional power capacity needs and emergency backup redundancy

10/22/2018

Legionella plan is not the same as a water management plan

State and accreditation inspectors know the difference, even though it may be slight, they can issue a violation for the mistaken identity

10/19/2018

WHO expects Congo's Ebola outbreak to last at least 3-4 months

The outbreak has caused 194 cases and 122 deaths

10/19/2018

Rural hospitals step up during hurricane

Two hospitals provided care within damaged facilities

10/19/2018

Front-line healthcare workers link violence to growing meth crisis

Violent incidents at the Health Sciences Centre has already doubled the number for all of last year

10/19/2018

The contradiction of healthcare facility noise

The activities and systems that are necessary to deliver care and protect patients are the same that produce the noises that disturb patients and obstruct optimal outcomes

10/19/2018

Hurricane forced Florida hospitals to shut down

Storm damaged roofs, buckled walls and shattered windows

10/18/2018

'How’s my hospital running today?' The importance of building analytics

Without seeing the real-time numbers of a hospital, it’s difficult to manage fully

10/18/2018

N.J. hospital's violence prevention program focuses on diffusing situations

RWJ University Hospital Hamilton has decreased the need for security interventions by 42 percent

10/18/2018

Ebola cases in Congo more than doubled since September

There were 33 new cases between Oct. 1 and Oct. 9, compared to 41 cases during all of September

10/17/2018

Florida healthcare facilities evacuated all of their 330 patients due to storm damage

Both hospitals kept their emergency rooms open

10/17/2018

VA hospitals boiler upgrades save money and energy

More than 1,200 Veterans Administration medical centers and outpatient sites across the country are upgrading or replacing a boiler system

10/17/2018

The power needed to deliver quality healthcare

Along with life safety backup power needs, Hendricks Regional Health wanted a backup system that would support air-conditioning for the entire hospital facility

10/17/2018

When hurricane hit, most long-term care facilities hadn’t finished backup power plans

More than half of the 412 Florida assisted-living facilities and nursing homes have yet to implement their emergency power plans

10/16/2018

Assisted care facilities are upgrading emergency/backup power systems to ensure safety and comfort

All assisted care, nursing homes, and medical facilities must meet the backup/ emergency power codes of NFPA 110 and NEC 700

10/16/2018

RTLS tags: Security friend or infection-prevention foe?

Infection-control guidance from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology includes disinfecting or replacing items such as lanyards, identification tags, cellphones and pagers if they come into contact with patients.

10/16/2018

Study finds hospital sink traps may harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria

CPE outbreaks are mostly attributed to patient-to-patient transmission via healthcare workers

10/16/2018

Cleaning curbs therapy dogs' MRSA risk

The risk of infection is greater for people whose immune system is weakened

10/15/2018

Smart lighting strategies for safe, smart healthcare facilities

Implementing more advanced lighting can give healthcare facilities the ability to create a smarter and safer building while improving the patient experience

10/15/2018

Access control: Strategies and tactics for successful upgrades

Effective upgrades of door hardware and security technology requires understanding options and making smart specification decisions

10/15/2018

Washington hospitals seeing increased level of violence

The increase coincides with a spike in the rate of patients who, after being charged with crimes, were found not competent to stand trial

10/15/2018

Chicago nursing home security catches 'ghost' on CCTV

Guard posts footage on Facebook, where it has racked up more than 2.5 million views

10/12/2018

How healthcare facilities can stop cyber-criminals

Healthcare data breaches are in the consumer collective consciousness and organizations are more aware of the issue

10/12/2018

Planning solar power canopies in parking areas

Solar canopies can reduce winter maintenance and give parking areas a distinctive presence

10/12/2018

Laundry staff cuts leads to facility towel shortage

Cuts at Aussie facility leads to residents being dried with hand towels

10/12/2018

Resistance to Ebola treatment remains in the Congo

Current outbreak has a higher reported number of cases than the previous outbreak, with 150 cases reported as of September 28

10/11/2018

UK project will use industry waste heat to warm hospital

The waste energy will be piped to the hospital and other public buildings

10/11/2018

National Infection Control Week: A Week to celebrate healthcare staff and promote hygiene compliance

Healthcare professionals believe technology can play an important role in hygiene compliance and infection control

10/11/2018

Buildings addressing climate change

An increase in extreme weather and lack of federal action make the times seem dark. But facility managers are leading the charge against climate change.

10/11/2018

Hackers, mattresses among top ECRI health tech hazards

The threat of hackers targeting remote access to healthcare systems as named the most pressing issue

10/10/2018

ES department uses simulation program to polish skills

Advocate sets training program in 8,000-square-foot facility

10/10/2018

Developing a successful ASC infection control program

Specific procedures like sterile processing for instrument care should be in place

10/10/2018

Plumbing upgrades focus on health and hygiene

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

10/9/2018

Report says 47 percent of emergency doctors have been assaulted at work

Seventy-one percent said they had witnessed the assault of a colleague

10/9/2018

Bomb hoax leads to evacuation of Australian hospital

A total of 36 people were evacuated from the hospital, seven of them in surgery and one anesthetized who had to be woken up

10/9/2018

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

10/9/2018

Printers can be cybersecurity risk

Printers are servers that are open and available to be physically accessed by anyone

10/8/2018

Nurses share stories of abuse on the job

Over the last 10 years there has been an 110 percent increase of violence against nurses

10/8/2018

Canadian hospital security guards facing increased violence due to meth crisis

Union invites health minister to sit in an emergency room to see dangerous situations

10/8/2018

Poor air quality prompts hospital to warn of infection risk

The issue involved a failure to maintain adequate positive air pressure in three operating rooms and two labor and delivery suites

10/8/2018

Internet of Things makes greener, smarter buildings

Delivering a high ROI by uncovering unseen opportunities in HVAC, energy loads, lighting, water, and renewables, the IoT is an essential part of any smart, green building

10/5/2018

Florida health system defends handling of patients' rape allegations

A federal judge in Florida has ordered Fort Myers–based Lee Memorial Health System to surrender records related to allegations

10/5/2018

Monitoring HVAC levels in sterile processing areas

HVAC must be addressed in compliance with current standards

10/5/2018

How are lighting systems best integrated with other systems?

What are the best practices – and potential challenges?

10/5/2018

Safety risks increase for health workers in Congo Ebola outbreak

Researchers tested 10 freshly laundered privacy curtains

10/4/2018

Employees believe tech can improve hygiene compliance

Healthcare professionals said it’s important for facilities to use tech such as hand-hygiene monitoring systems

10/4/2018

Study finds hospital privacy curtains harbor MRSA

Researchers tested 10 freshly laundered privacy curtains

10/4/2018

CMS focus on Legionella means its time to review water management plan

A good water management plan begins with the facilities management team

10/4/2018

How to improve workflow in the critical care unit

Other top issues included data and analytics, total consumer health, population health services, value-based payments and the digital healthcare organization

10/3/2018

Cybersecurity called key 2019 challenge for healthcare executives

Other top issues included data and analytics, total consumer health, population health services, value-based payments and the digital healthcare organization

10/3/2018