Conducting mock surveys, also called preparatory surveys, is a great way to ready your staff and find problems before the real thing comes to your facility. But how do you run an effective preparatory survey—one that mimics the real deal with the time and resources your healthcare organization...
This week brings us something of a mixed bag, but I think the two articles speak to the heart of how our management of the healthcare physical environment informs everything that goes on around and in it. I have consistently maintained (small pun intended) that pretty much everything in...
For those of you keeping tabs on the regulatory landscape, you might already know that the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) has initiated a new standard—ST108—that defines levels of water quality suitable for various stages of medical device processing, with the...
The healthcare sector is at a higher risk of cyberattacks compared to other industries because of the type of data it collects and stores. Global healthcare organizations collect detailed records of patients that include their names, dates of birth, addresses, Social Security numbers, and...
The ongoing issue of drug shortages presents significant challenges to healthcare systems across the country, impacting patient care, operational efficiency, and overall trust in the healthcare system. William “Bill” Lord, BSPharm, a seasoned pharmacy consultant with Nash Consulting, caught up...
The Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. (ACHC) announced the release of its revised manuals for Stroke Care Certification in May. These updates are designed to reflect the latest standards of practice, improve clarity, enhance flow, and reduce redundancy. The revisions also offer...
When conflicts arise in the lab, they can distract staff from their work or safety practices. Conflicts can break down crucial relationships, lower work quality, and even erupt into verbal or physical violence. To talk about how a lab can prevent conflicts from arising and steps to take when...
The CDC believes that healthcare worker burnout impacts the quality and safety of patient care, including increased medical errors and hospital-acquired infections among patients. Overburdened staff—due to inadequate or high patient-to-staff ratios, a negative workplace culture, poor...
If one were to ponder the most complicated undertakings in the world of healthcare, I believe that effective management of mental/behavioral health would be very close to the top of that list. I can say from personal experience that some amazing improvements have been made over the last 20-30...
We continue our interview with Ivan W. Gowe, MS, MLS (ASCP)CM, CIC, FAPIC, a hospital infection preventionist in North Carolina, and Ashley Reyes, MPH, CIC, an infection preventionist from Pardee UNC Health, on bloodstream infections (BSI) and how to prevent them.
