A little more than two years into Capital District Health Authority’s conversion to latex-free surgical gloves, acceptance and satisfaction rates among the OR staff continue to be high. And at one site, the number of glove types has been reduced to four from nine.
Michael Turner, M.D., Neurological Surgeon at Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine Institute in Indianapolis, IN, explains how he uses Optifoam AG to create an effective barrier between the open hair follicles, sweat glands, implant and his hands. He also discusses how combining this practice with the use of Arglaes Film has resulted in reduced infection rates.
Looking to solve their unique distribution challenges, FirstHealth of the Carolinas turned to Medline for ideas on how to distribute products to their three hospitals – each possessing their own set of distribution needs.
Mount Baker Care Center is using the abaqis® Nursing Home Quality Assurance System to not only prepare for the new Quality Indicator Survey, but to also understand their new resident’s preferences and open communications with family members.
The Federal Register states that pressure ulcers can “reasonably be prevented through the application of evidence-based guidelines.” While “reasonably preventable” does not mean “always preventable,” the statement carries potentially significant legal implications. In this article, Kevin W. Yankowsky, JD, a partner in the Health Law–Health Litigation department of Fulbright & Jaworski LLP and Caroline Fife, MD, CWS, Director of Clinical Research at the Memorial Hermann Center for Wound Healing and Associate Professor–Division of Cardiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center show how the outcome of a medical litigation is highly dependent on the words written and used in a care setting.
Needing to reign in costs and redesign processes to gain maximum efficiencies, Northern Michigan Regional Health System signed a strategic distribution partnership that has helped the system save approximately $500,000 in acquisition costs and supply chain expenses since 2006.
The transformation of the long-term care survey process is under way, with more than 3,100 nursing facilities in 14 states having experienced at least one Quality Indicator Survey (QIS) review. QIS developer Dr. Andrew Kramer, who is also the Principal Investigator in support of CMS to refine the QIS process and to conduct the training of State Survey Agencies, discusses how the QIS is affecting the long-term survey process.
Recent news stories such as President Barack Obama declaring the H1N1 Influenza outbreak a national emergency have brought infection control into a leading role in healthcare. As the number one defense against healthcare-acquired infections, hand hygiene plays a critical role. ABC News contributor John Nance recently sat down with world–renowned experts Dr. Didier Pittet and Dr. Günter Kampf to discuss the updated WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care and their recommendations for alcohol-based handrub formulations.
Winter means drier skin from the reduced humidity, as well as from dry winds outside and central heating inside. Marty Visscher, Ph.D., Director, Skin Sciences Institute at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center discusses how winter affects hand hygiene regimens, healthcare workers’ skin and offers some skincare advice.
More than 200 employees of Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon recently went beyond simply wearing new pink gloves to spread the word about breast cancer awareness – they danced in them. And now their fun and touching video – “The Pink Glove Dance” – has become a hit on YouTube with more than 75,000 views within just a few days of posting.
Recent news stories such as President Barack Obama declaring the H1N1 Influenza outbreak a national emergency have brought infection control into a leading role in healthcare. As the number one defense against healthcare-acquired infections, hand hygiene plays a critical role. ABC News contributor John Nance recently sat down with world-renowned experts Dr. Didier Pittet and Dr. Günter Kampf to discuss the updated WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care and their recommendations for alcohol-based handrub formulations.
Looking for ways to reduce costs in their day-to-day operations and improve cash flow, Solus Management Services partnered with Medline to implement a supply management program that eliminated their inventory holding costs while allowing them to maintain access to their supplies.
In the spring of 2008, our hospital’s ICU2 unit had a pressure ulcer incidence level of 57.1 percent. After trialing Medline’s Pressure Ulcer Prevention program for 90 days, the incidence rate was down to zero.
It can be difficult in today’s hospital environment, however, to identify just who your caregiver is when orderlies, technicians, housekeeping – and even the general public – might also be dressed in scrubs. Several of the nation’s hospitals have taken the issue to heart and have begun implementing uniform programs that help patients quickly identify a hospital employee’s role by the color that they are wearing.
Using the abaqis® Nursing Home Quality Assurance System to prepare for the new Quality Indicator Survey not only decreases Bear Creek Nursing Center’s chances for a Stage II investigation, but more profoundly, their residents appear to be happier and more satisfied with their lives.
In two years of partnership, Daughters of Charity Health System has saved over $2 million with Medline.
For most hospitals, the reality is that “going green” should be both about doing what’s right for the environment and the community, as well as creating an opportunity to save money over the long term. Fortunately, there are opportunities where hospitals can greatly impact these areas through the decisions they make with regard to linen selection and laundry processing.
