Creating More Resilient Healthcare Facilities: Steps to Take Today to More Rapidly Prepare for a Winter COVID Surge

Bryan Connors | January 18, 2021

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...

The Need to Understand Infection Risk Sources and Pathways to Mitigate HAIs

Erin Higgins | January 12, 2021

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...

Practical Tips for Performing Your Hospital’s After Action Evaluation for COVID-19

Kristin Pitocco | July 2, 2020

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...

Six Common Mistakes When Donning and Doffing PPE that Could Lead to COVID-19 Infections

Bryan Connors | June 15, 2020

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...

Reopening Clinics: Ensuring a Healthy Facility and Staff Safety

Bryan Connors | May 14, 2020

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...

Update – Emergency Use of Uncertified Respirators: OSHA Releases Guidance in Alignment with FDA and CDC

Kevin Coghlan | April 8, 2020

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...

Emergency Use of Uncertified Respirators: Can the FDA Allow Use of Uncertified Respirators to Protect Workers?

Nanette Moss | March 30, 2020

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...

How to Know If an N95 Respirator is Real or Counterfeit

Kevin Coghlan | March 26, 2020

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...

Reusable Elastomeric Respirators: Proper Use by Healthcare Workers

Nanette Moss | March 26, 2020

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...

Beyond the Pharmacy: Preparing for Hospital-wide Compliance with USP 800

Erin Higgins | March 16, 2020

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...