Hospitals must prepare as security and privacy concerns increase in 2021

Last March 15, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) waived...

How to run an emergency department social medicine team

Treating patients with behavioral health issues such as substance abuse and social challenges such...

Missed cancer screening during coronavirus pandemic raises alarm

Decreased rates of cancer screening during the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a significant...

From the sky we look so organized and brave

Mac's Safety Space: Once again (I’m thinking there’s no surprise to this), the public health emergency wrought by the impact of COVID-19 on just about anything you’d care to name has been extended. 

Q&A: Water fixture maintenance

Showerheads, faucets, and spigots: Maintaining them and keeping them operating smoothly is key to both savings for your healthcare facility and care quality for your patients. Plus, if you don’t, CMS, accrediting organizations, and other regulatory agencies will come at you hard.  

To talk about the physical and mechanical maintenance of healthcare water fixtures, we spoke with Charles Bragdon, founder and president of the California-based Water Saver Solutions, which works with healthcare systems to improve water savings, efficiency, and quality. His company also offers fixture-specific information and services at https://fixturecare.com.

Q&A: Water fixture infection control

It’s common knowledge that healthcare water systems can be a source of healthcare-acquired infections (HAI) if not cleaned properly. Just ask any of the facilities that found themselves dealing with a Legionella outbreak among patients. Or you can ask CMS and other regulators who will be hunting for traces of bacteria, mold, and fungi in your water supply. They will inform you if they find any, and you will not be happy about it.

We spoke with Michael Castro, MPH, director of services at Special Pathogens Laboratory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, about infection control for water fixtures and what steps healthcare facilities can take to improve.

DNV GL virtual conference: Physical environment hot spots

Many hospitals and clinics struggle with the same physical environment (PE) topics, such as ligature risk, facility assessments, and training staff on PE requirements. At the 2020 DNV GL Virtual Conference, viewers learned about these issues from PE experts Randy Julian, CHFM, CHSP, CHOP, and Jim Faze, MBA, CHOP. Faze and Julian are accreditation specialists for DNV GL with decades of experience between them.

Consider these tips when planning for civil unrest

Here are some tips, taken from accounts after the Baltimore protests over the death of Freddie Gray in 2015 as well as other hospitals’ experience in other disasters, to help you prepare for a possible riot or other civil unrest:

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The Complete Guide to Laboratory Safety, Fifth Edition, consolidates regulations from all relevant agencies, including OSHA, The Joint Commission, CAP, CLSI, DOT, and state health departments. This book also offers customizable policies, procedures, and checklists to avoid costly fines and enhance your compliance program.

The newest edition of this proven guide includes a brand-new chapter on laboratory safety culture, plus new content on:

• The hierarchy of controls
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• Lab coat cleaning, comfort, and materials 
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• Hazardous waste management
• The generator improvement rule 
• The EPA hazardous waste pharmaceutical rule
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Brian Ward
Editor
bward@hcpro.com


HCPro
35 Village Road, Suite 200
Middleton, MA 01949
800-650-6787
http://www.hcpro.com

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Keeping safety professionals up to speed with the always-changing policies of OSHA, CDC, EPA, and other healthcare regulatory agencies. Discover workplace health and safety tips written with facilities like yours in mind.