Read Our Newsletter

The holiday season is a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends. Depending on your level of enthusiasm, you may be someone who prepares for celebrations’ month in advance.

Those who work in a healthcare setting are well aware of Infection Prevention (IP) strategies. Protecting patients and employees should be at the forefront of all IP Programs in order for them to be successful and minimize risk of harm.

With Flu season in full swing and Covid cases on the rise, it is important to understand updated, mandatory reporting requirements for hospitals as well as critical access hospitals. The National Healthcare and Safety Network (NHSN) is working to prepare facilities for new reporting requirements through web-based education.

Hazardous Materials are commonly used in the healthcare environment. Safe handling, storage and disposal are key considerations for safe management of such materials. Another important consideration is what personal protective equipment should be worn when handling these items.

If you are in a leadership position in the healthcare environment today, you are no stranger to the issues surrounding staffing shortages.

An area that is sometimes overlooked in hospitals is Food and Dietetic Services. It is important for CMS providers to fully understand the § 482.28 Condition of participation: Food and Dietetic Services requirements. In smaller hospitals, it is not uncommon for these services to be contracted.

Environmental Services (EVS) is an essential component of healthcare operations. Maintaining sanitary conditions is a critical element of a successful Infection Prevention Program. It is a very common practice for healthcare facilities to contract these services.

NFPA 101 is a set of standards developed to ensure that safety of patients, visitors, and staff in a variety of facilities including healthcare.

Considerations for Using Biological Implants in Surgery

If your facility is enrolled in the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), then submitting an annual facility survey for the previous year is a requirement. If your facility was not operational in 2023 but you are enrolling, this information must be provided at the time of enrollment. The deadline for completion is March 1 st of each calendar year. If your facility has been operational, it is important to update the survey to accurately address various components of the survey based on the previous year. There are a variety of online educational modules available to assist facilities through the completion process. You will also find instructions for completing the survey. You can find this information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website It is best to begin working on the survey well in advance of the deadline for submission. We recommend reviewing all components of the survey and delegating review and completion to personnel that oversee corresponding departments. Assistance from leadership from the following departments will be needed to complete the survey: Infection Prevention Microbiology/Lab Quality Pharmacy Nursing Facilities Medical Records Contractors, if applicable

JANAUARY 1, 2024 Tips For Your Facilities’ New Year’s Resolutions! Don’t break these, your facility needs them!

In our final issue for 2023, we focus on guidelines and basics for patient safety regarding EOC, life safety, and NFPA regulations. Start your New Year off by checking off these important reminders

In our November Edition, we highlight the safety & compliance aspects of Surgical Implants. We discuss regulations and the challenges associated with this growing field and what topics or questions should be addressed by the hospital/facility.

In our October Newsletter, we provide an overview of compliance for USP 797 & 800 that you must be in compliance with starting November 1st. We also provide a couple of documents from Agencies or Accrediting Bodies that can assist you in your mission.

In our September issue, we discuss why Medical Staff Credentialing is so important for the provider AND the facility. We share evidence of shortcuts taken and the result in not just financial terms but also patient and staff safety.

In this month's newsletter we discuss and provide resources for handling a fire on the table and ways to prevent them.

For this month, we decided to focus on ultrasound disinfection and to revisit the idea of your facility following best practice and the manufacturer's IFUs. Do not forget to take a moment and view your own policies and procedures.

For our June newsletter, we offer information and tips on an often overlooked department and service... Nutritional Service

In this month's edition, we discuss the current trend of using expired medical supplies and give some questions that facilities and leadership should ask before using them.

In our April issue, we discuss the two main code alerts being used in healthcare along with our findings and further research summaries.

In this month's newsletter, we discuss topics and tips for implementing and reviewing your Quality Improvement plan. The five topics are broken down and also give tools for your facility to utilize in order to have a more structured and thorough plan.

In our February newsletter, we discuss Ransomware in the healthcare industry. We highlight why and offer a few suggestions including Education and Training for when a down-time occurs. Links to assessment tools are also provided.

In the first newsletter of 2023, we discuss The Joint Commissions updated patient safety goals for healthcare facilities. We highlight a few and encourage you to familiarize your team members with what the TJC deems high priority.

In our final newsletter of 2022, we discuss the reasons to evaluate your current QAPI Program and the benefits than can come from the review.

In our November newsletter, we discuss Social Media policy, procedures, and considerations for your facility, patients, and workers.

In our October newsletter, we detail suggestions and considerations for your facility when decorating for the holidays.

In our September newsletter, we detail Alarm Fatigue as well as Policy, Procedural, and Educational considerations for your facility to battle this preventable situation.

In our August newsletter, we detail Considerations and Challenges as well as the benefits of Point-of-Care Testing.

Our July newsletter details situations and criteria often overlooked and should be included in a facility's Emergency Preparedness Plan.