MHA Society for Health Care Engineers

ASHES tool, conference focus on IOM quality aims

The American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services has issued an online tool to help members understand their role in achieving the Institute of Medicine’s six aims for health care quality improvement. Available to ASHES members at www.ashes.org, the tool includes an overview of the six aims and background on the associated IOM report, “Crossing the Quality Chasm.”

ASHES plans to make connections between each of the six aims and the educational sessions at its 2008 annual conference, Sept. 7-11 in San Antonio, TX. ASHES is an American Hospital Association personal membership group.

White paper on infection control issues during hospital construction

A new white paper discussing challenges faced by hospitals during construction while trying to meet Environment of Care standards is now available online from a Massachusetts-based engineering firm.

The paper, authored by Dennis Tremblay, CFPS, a senior scientist at Needham-based EH&E, examines the process needed to comply with Joint Commission standards during hospital construction projects.

The white paper can be found online here.

[ via Accreditation Connection ]

NIOSH Introduces New Newsletter

NIOSH recently announced the inaugural issue of the National Occupational Research Agenda Construction Sector E-Newsletter. This newsletter will cover news and activities of the Construction Sector Council and other new research and events of interest to our construction stakeholders.

You can view the inaugural issue here. Sign-up for future issues here.

EPA issues emission standards for hospital sterilizers

The Environmental Protection Agency recently implemented national emissions standards for ethylene oxide sterilizers, used by some hospitals to sterilize medical devices. Contained in a final rule effective Dec. 28, the standards generally require hospital ethylene oxide sterilization facilities to sterilize full loads of items to reduce hazardous emissions.

Exceptions include when central services staff, a hospital administrator or physician on duty determine that a less than full load is medically necessary, or the sterilizer has an acceptable air pollution control device.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Revised List of Chemicals from the Department of Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security has published a revised edition of the list of chemicals (APPENDIX A) from the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards. If a facility possesses a chemical on this list above the listed screening threshold quantity, they must submit a “Top-Screen” to DHS.

On November 20, 2007 the Department of Homeland Security published the final Appendix A in the Federal Register. With the publication of a final Appendix A, all provisions of 6 CFR Part 27, including § 27.210(a)(1)(i), are operative and in effect. The deadline in the Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standard (CFATS) interim final rule for submission of “Top Screens” required by 6 CFR § 27.210(a)(1)(i) will be 60 calendar days from the date of publication (which was November 20) of Appendix A in the Federal Register.

Contact jcollins@aha.org for further information.

[ via ASHE e-News ]

OSHA Introduces New Publications Web Page

Visitors to the new Publications Web Page will find a more refined, user-friendly approach to access OSHA's resources. The page was designed to provide customers with five different ways to search for products: by publication number; keyword; alphabetically; industry/topic; and by type of publication. Customers can order up to 25 copies of a maximum of five publications. As one of the most popular pages on the agency's web site, OSHA wants the publications page to serve as the comprehensive resource for safety and health products and information.

[ via ASHE e-News ]

OSHA Identifies Most Common Safety Violations

Scaffolding-related violations topped the list of federal occupational safety standards most often violated during fiscal 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The list reflects standards violations of federal OSHA regulations from October 2006 through September 2007. The list indicates how many citations were given to various industries, broken down by division under the Standard Industrial Classification codes.

Division C Construction, for example, runs the gamut, including general building contractors, electrical work, concrete work, roofing, siding and sheet metal work.

“They’re all very serious [violations] … because these are the types of violations that are going to hurt somebody or they’re going to kill somebody,” although the number of injuries and fatalities has decreased dramatically in the past 10 to 15 years, said Richard E. Fairfax, director of the DOL’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs.

[ via ComplianceHome Newsletter ]

ASHES launches online business directory

The American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services, an American Hospital Association personal membership group, has launched an online business directory to help professionals in the field quickly locate needed products and services. Developed with MultiView Inc., which publishes field-specific search engines, the Internet search engine can be downloaded as a desktop application and includes a tool that lets users easily contact a group of suppliers.

“We are excited about offering this powerful tool as a valuable enhancement to our member benefits,” said ASHES Executive Director Patti Costello.

AHRQ Releases New DVD about Designing Hospitals for Safety and Quality

The Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) released a new DVD that provides evidence to help hospital officials and architects design safer, high-quality hospitals. This new two-part DVD illustrates the value of evidence-based hospital design—a phrase used to describe how the physical design of health care environments affects patients and staff.

The first part entitled, Transforming Hospitals: Designing for Safety and Quality, gives a brief 13-minute overview and provides current examples of how evidence-based hospital design increases patient safety, satisfaction, and quality of care that results in higher staff satisfaction, recruitment, and retention. The second part, Transforming Hospitals: Three Case Studies, is 36 minutes and features the experiences of three hospitals that incorporated principles of evidence-based hospital design into new construction and renovation projects. These facilities include Griffin Hospital, Derby, CT; Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Spring, MD; and Woodwinds Health Campus, Woodbury, MN.

With an estimated $250 billion construction boom in the hospital industry over the next 10 years, the DVD is expected to be of significant interest to hospital executives and architects planning or implementing construction and renovation projects. For more information, click here. Copies of the DVD can be obtained by sending an e-mail to ahrqpubs@ahrq.hhs.gov.   

OSHA warns to avoid hazards in cleaning electronic medical equipment

An October 31 public health notification identified hazards to patients and healthcare workers when using cleaning solutions on electronic medical equipment.

The warning, issued jointly by the CDC, OSHA, the Federal Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency, says that the use of excessive cleaning and disinfectant liquids on certain electronic medical equipment has caused equipment fires and other damage, equipment malfunctions, and healthcare worker burns.

The public health notification specifically listed problems with equipment such as infusion pumps, ventilators, and patient-controlled analgesia pumps but says that the hazard warning "may be relevant to any equipment that has unsealed electronic circuitry or components, such as computer workstations, handheld devices and other monitoring equipment."

You can find the notice here.

[ via Infection Control Monitor ]