New Ebola Outbreak in the Congo: Is Your Organization Pandemic-Ready?
At the moment, the only confirmed current cases of Ebola were reported in a remote location in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; as of Monday, the World Health Organization reported 39 suspected, probable, and confirmed cases, including 19 deaths.
Case Study: Harborview Medical Center’s Automated Sepsis Alert System
After a patient is admitted to Harborview, his or her vitals are plugged into the EHR several times each day. The system searches for patterns, trends, and symptoms that might indicate sepsis. If found, a red box appears around the patient’s name and the nurse is assigned a task in the EHR to screen the patient for infection.
Joint Commission Appoints New Director of Infection Prevention and Control
According to a Joint Commission release, she has worked for more than 30 years in infection prevention and control in hospitals and long-term care facilities, along with eight years of clinical microbiology experience. Recently, Garcia-Houchins was director of infection control at the University of Chicago Medicine and was a consultant for Joint Commission Resources.
Report: Insect Infestation Problem Forces VA Hospital to Delay Surgeries
The television station conducted a hidden-camera investigation and discovered that the hospital installed at least 200 fly traps to deal with an infestation of phorid flies in operating rooms, dating back to 2016.
Task Force Weighs in on Bouffant Hat vs. Skull Cap Debate
The task force wrote in a joint statement: “Over the past two years, as recommendations were implemented, it became increasingly apparent that in practice, covering the ears is not practical for surgeons and anesthesiologists and in many cases counterproductive to their ability to perform optimally in the OR.”
Expect More Scrutiny on Hand Hygiene
Now, if a Joint Commission surveyor sees anyone who directly cares for patients fail to perform required hand hygiene, the healthcare organization (HCO) will get a Requirement for Improvement. The Joint Commission justified the change by saying HCOs have had more than enough time to train personnel on how to maintain hand hygiene.
Q&A: Antibiotic Stewardship
The following is an edited Q&A from the HCPro webcast “How to Establish an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.” Speaker Jennifer Pisano, MD, is medical director of the antimicrobial stewardship program at the University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences.
Study: 71% of Reusable Scopes Tested Positive for Bacteria
The study found problems in scopes used for routine operations such as colonoscopies and kidney stone removal.
Gutting HAIs: Ambitious Goals for 2020
The Department of Health and Human Services has given hospitals aggressive goals on HAI reduction. By 2020, the department wants CAUTI rates to be cut 50% in acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities, and ambulatory surgical centers.
Study: Recounting the Cost of CAUTIs
What you may not know is that CAUTIs cost hospitals far more than most think. While most say the average cost of treating a CAUTI is $1,000, that figure is likely too low. In some cases, it’s 10 times too low.