Hospitals Struggle with Accurate COVID-19 Data

Some hospitals have not been able to track the number of patients who might have contracted COVID-19 during a stay


Controlling the spread of COVID-19 is difficult enough in hospitals, given the many variables at work, including screening procedures, sanitizing practices, air filtration measures and the outside activities of doctors, nurses and staff. In some cases, however, hospitals also are having difficulty gathering accurate data on the spread of the illness among patients.

For example, how many patients enter a Connecticut hospital with a broken leg or some other type of emergency and then contracting COVID-19 while hospitalized? It’s impossible to say because officials with the state’s Department of Public Health (DPH) have not been able to track the number of patients who might have contracted COVID-19 during a hospital stay, according to CT News Junkie. But when people do test positive for the novel coronavirus after being admitted for other reasons, the state is counting those patients as COVID-19 hospitalizations, says a DPH spokesman.

It’s easier to trace COVID-19 infections in nursing homes since most residents have been at the facility for longer than two weeks, officials said. But in a hospital setting where most patients only stay a short time, it’s difficult to tell where a person contracted the disease, according to CTNewsJunkie.

Click here to read the article.



December 10, 2020


Topic Area: Infection Control


Recent Posts

Why New Era of Care Demands an Ambulatory Facilities Approach

The shift from hospital-centric to ambulatory care has outpaced most health systems’ operating models, creating urgency for a new facilities management playbook.


ClearSky Health Plans New Medical Rehabilitation Hospital in North Carolina

The hospital will provide specialized rehabilitative care to patients recovering from disabling injuries or illnesses.


Bacon County Health Services Reports Data Breach

Immediate action was taken to secure its network and to ensure that patient care was not disrupted.


Building Around Care: Lessons in Modernizing Active Healthcare Environments

The challenge is how to modernize a healthcare facility while patients continue receiving care and physicians, nurses and staff continue providing it.


St. Luke's Heart Hospital Opens at Anderson Campus in Pennsylvania

The five-story, approximately 355,000-square-foot facility is seamlessly integrated into St. Luke's Anderson Campus.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.