Focus: Environmental Services

Unsanitary conditions at Calif VA Center linked to rise in infections

Office of Inspector General report faults lack of environmental servicestraining


A new federal report says Department of Veterans Affairs officials failed to provide housekeeping staff at the VA Medical Center in Loma Linda, Calif., with adequate training, possibly contributing to an increase in potentially deadly infections at the facility, according to an article on The Sun website.

 “Responsiveness to environment-of-care concerns is a shared responsibility between leadership, service chiefs and staff,” according to Kristen Hall, spokeswoman for the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System.

“Daily huddles between leadership and staff have resulted in a more rapid response to environment-of-care needs.”

Inspectors found that the medical center was not clean, its furnishings were in need of repair, and its Environmental Management Services Department did not have standard operating procedures for cleaning and sanitizing the facility.

Read the article.



June 27, 2019


Topic Area: Environmental Services


Recent Posts

Assisted Living Facility Violated Safety Standards: OSHA

Fire at Gabriel House killed 10 residents died and injured and displaced dozens of others.


McCarthy Completes Construction of Citizens Health Hospital in Kansas

The facility is among the nation’s largest hospitals funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Critical Access Hospital program.


California Tower at UC Davis Health Topped Out

When completed in 2030, the California Tower will include a 14-story hospital facility and a five-story pavilion.


What 'Light' Daily Cleaning of Patient Rooms Misses

Most environmental services workers still clean as if they were wiping dust off a countertop, not disrupting a living, structured community.


Sprinkler Compliance: Navigating Code Mandates, Renovation Triggers and Patient Safety

As CMS deadlines approach and renovation projects accelerate, healthcare facility managers must understand how NFPA 101, state fire codes and sprinkler design strategies intersect.


 
 


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.