The winter surge of the COVID-19 pandemic is here. This time there is no epicenter, the spread of the virus has accelerated across the United States. Some healthcare systems just this summer were able to transition from COVID-dedicated spaces back to general patient care areas. Now they are faced with converting back again to respond...Read More
Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) remain a significant source of concern for healthcare facilities of all types and sizes, and the physical environment is often a leading source of these infection-causing pathogens. Data from the CDC indicates that each year, about 1 in 25 U.S. hospital patients are diagnosed with at least one infection related to hospital...Read More
As of June 12, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that approximately 75,000 cases of COVID-19 were healthcare providers in the US. Healthcare providers are on the front lines and are at high risk of infection. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is paramount in helping to protect them from infection. Yet, PPE...Read More
As public health experts determine that it is safe to see patients and stay-at-home restrictions are relaxed, ambulatory care centers, physician clinics and dental clinics should strategically plan when and how best to reopen. The physical environment is part of the foundation of providing a healthy workplace so properly preparing your facility prior to re-occupancy...Read More
Over the past year, several reported instances of patient infections related to mold have escalated concerns within the healthcare community. Understanding how these infections can occur, and what your hospital can do to prevent them, is essential for patient safety and hospital reputation. What are hospital-acquired fungal infections? True to their name, hospital-acquired fungal...Read More
The problem of Legionella bacteria growth in complex water systems has been known for decades, but recent changes to regulatory requirements have created a compliance issue for many healthcare facilities. If your hospital doesn’t currently have an effective water management program, it’s time to make creating one a priority. Since the Centers for Medicare and...Read More
Whether chairing your hospital’s safety committee or participating as a member, many of us struggle to energize our committees and to keep momentum. The value your safety committee holds for your hospital depends upon many factors, but there are some common themes to effective safety committees. An active and effective safety committee is an integral...Read More
Healthcare-acquired infections aren’t just dangerous to patients — they can also be very costly for the facilities in question. Since procedures and processes that are high risk for infection are performed in places like operating rooms and central processing, ensuring proper pressurization and ventilation to avoid infection is a matter of life and death. The...Read More
Construction is an inevitability at healthcare facilities. Improvements and updates need to be made and construction can be a complex — and potentially dangerous — process within hospitals. Any size construction project can risk exposing patients to dust and mold spores, noise, vibrations, odors or chemicals. Guide to Infection Prevention and Control within the Physical...Read More
Between 2011 and 2014, 29 patients at the Veterans Administration hospital in Pittsburgh, PA were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, with confirmation of at least five of the cases acquired at the hospital. The Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General later tied the deadly outbreak to deficiencies in the water system. Records show that not only...Read More
