Water quality plays a vital role in the sterilization of medical devices. Failing to ensure the water used meets the correct purity requirements can lead to adverse patient outcomes, medical device malfunction, and increased costs. The new ANSI/AAMI ST108:2023 standard addresses this issue by enhancing the recommendations for water used in reprocessing medical devices. Hospital… Read more »
Infectious Disease and Species: Level Sampling For Mold in Healthcare Settings
Sampling for Mold in Healthcare Settings Mold in healthcare settings can pose significant health risks and liability issues. Along with an effective mold and moisture management program, consulting with an environmental health consultant to assist in evaluations will help achieve a safe environment for patients, staff, and visitors. This article outlines key standards and guidelines,… Read more »
Healthcare Construction Guidelines Under ICRA 2.0
Infection control risk assessment (ICRA) guidelines clarify the need for careful assessments of construction project activity at healthcare facilities. The ICRA guidelines are not a set of burdensome rules. They provide a framework that can help you navigate the healthcare construction process. Healthcare construction and renovation projects tend to be more strategically demanding than other… Read more »
HVAC Systems Maintenance in Healthcare Settings
Hospitals, clinics, and other specialized healthcare providers present a unique environment where air quality is paramount. Hazards such as surgical smoke, aerosolized medications used in treatments, and airborne infectious agents are commonplace in healthcare and go well beyond the challenges faced in a typical office building or school classroom. The healthcare environment is further complicated… Read more »
Complying with The Joint Commission’s New Water Management Standard
Did you know that on January 1, 2022, The Joint Commission’s new water management standard for healthcare facilities went into effect? This new standard (EC.02.05.02, EPs 1 through 4) supersedes the previous version (EC.02.05.01, EP 14) which “addressed the need for healthcare organizations to minimize pathogenic biological agents in cooling towers, domestic hot- and cold-water… Read more »
Managing Waterborne Pathogen Risks During Hospital Construction
All demolition, construction, and renovation activities in healthcare facilities — whether planned or unplanned — require a pre-construction risk assessment (PCRA). Some guidance documents refer to this procedure as an “Infection Control Risk Assessment” (ICRA). The Joint Commission’s Environment of Care Standard establishes the framework. Certain concerns tend to get the most attention during renovation… Read more »
Reducing Risks in Healthcare Occupations
When you visit someone in the hospital, you may take extra care to wash your hands when entering and leaving the building. You are probably also more aware of the surfaces you touch while inside, and you may even be concerned about the cleanliness of your shoes when you get home. Those are normal precautions… Read more »
CMS, ASHRAE 188 and My Hospital: What Are the Next Steps?
Developing a designated water management program team is job no. 1 With the nationwide incidence of Legionella on a steady rise since 2000, ASHRAE has published ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2015 for reducing the risk of bacterial growth in facilities’ water systems. Legionella, the cause of Legionnaires’ Disease (LD), an often deadly type of pneumonia (as well as Pontiac Fever), most often affects those… Read more »
5 Ways to Achieve Better Outcomes When a Family Member is Hospitalized
There are few things more stressful for you, or a friend or loved one, than to be admitted to a hospital. From when we’re very young, these cold, sprawling buildings carry the stigma of being a scary place where even scarier things happen – and it’s not easy to shake these feelings, even as adults.
Today, there’s a new reason for the “fear factor”: Changes in healthcare, skyrocketing hospitalization costs, a feeling of isolation from doctors and nurses – and yes, even an enhanced awareness of hospital-acquired infections – all conspire to send anxiety and stress levels soaring.
Yet, the presence of loved ones during the hospital stay can have some very measurable benefits to all involved. Studies conducted for both Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology and The Journal of the American Medical Association show stress is reduced when a family member accompanies a patient. This reduction in stress often leads to an overall improvement in patient outcomes.