When your hospital starts to see the crisis period for COVID-19 deescalate, it will be important to thoroughly evaluate your response to the pandemic and document the assessment in an After Action Report (AAR). What worked well? What didn’t? The extreme strain hospital staff has been under for months makes it daunting to think about...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
OSHA recently provided some much-needed compliance relief for healthcare providers (HCPs). On April 3, 2020, OSHA released two enforcement guidance memorandums to Regional Administrators and State Plan Designees regarding the emergency use of respirators that are not NIOSH-certified and respirators for which the use-by date has expired. This supplements earlier guidance that was the subject...Read More
Can the FDA allow uncertified respirators to be used to protect worker health and safety? Check out the newest post on this issue: OSHA Releases Guidance in Alignment with FDA and CDC On March 28, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) to allow healthcare providers (HCPs) to re-use...Read More
As the supply of N95 respirators for healthcare workers continues to dwindle, a number of counterfeit or uncertified respirators are beginning to surface in the marketplace. If a hospital is struggling to maintain its supply of N95 respirators, there are other options that can be used in place of the standard N95 respirator. The Centers...Read More
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a surge of patients to urgent care, emergency room and drive- up testing locations. Healthcare workers depend upon N95 disposable respirators to protect them from exposure to the respiratory droplets that transmit the disease. The supply of N95 respirators is being rapidly depleted as the crisis prolongs. Fabric facemasks...Read More
Over the past year, there’s been a lot of discussion about how hospital pharmacies can prepare for USP 800. While hazardous drug safety is not a new concern, the new regulations set forth in USP 800 will require most hospitals to make significant changes in order to achieve and maintain compliance. However, even though the...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
While regulations for sterile compounding have been around for decades, many hospital pharmacies around the country have been racing to meet compliance with the new USP 800. Unlike the current standards set by USP 797, which are generally designed to protect the product, USP 800 aims to regulate employee protection. It provides requirements for healthcare...Read More
