Hospital Employee Health – June 1, 2009
June 1, 2009
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CDC rolls out pandemic plan for swine flu patients
Warning that continuing transmission and more severe disease are likely, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued infection control guidelines for hospitals admitting patients with an emerging swine flu strain. -
Hepatitis outbreaks underscore ongoing transmission risk to health care workers
Recent outbreaks of hepatitis C are a wake-up call to boost infection control practices, particularly in outpatient settings. But they also underscore the prevalence of HCV and the continued occupational risk to health care workers. -
UV light zaps undiagnosed TB
New guidelines promote the use of ultraviolet light in hospitals as an effective way to reduce the risk of tuberculosis transmission from the undiagnosed case. -
Factors Influencing Effectiveness of Upper-Room UVGI Systems
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health identified the following parameters for the effective use of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to protect against tuberculosis: -
Privacy law limits release of EH records
HIPAA alert: If you think the massive privacy law doesn't apply to employee health, take another look. The exceptions to HIPAA are very specific ones, says Karl Auerbach, MD, MS, MBA, FACOEM, associate professor of occupational and environmental medicine at the University of Rochester (NY). -
Turnaround in EH produces cost-savings
Workers' compensation claims were painfully high when Bonnie Johnson took over as director of employee health at Citrus Valley Health Partners in West Covina, CA, a system of three acute-care hospitals, a hospice facility, and about 3,200 employees that is 25 miles east of Los Angeles. -
Build your case for investment in HCW health
Why should your hospital invest in employee health and wellness? Answer that question in a detailed business plan and you may win support for your programs from hospital leadership. -
OSHA offers guidance on respirator protection
How protective is the respirator that you provide your employees? -
Joint Commision issues best practices report on tracking hand hygiene adherence by HCWs
The Joint Commission has issued a major new document on the difficult issue of assessing hand hygiene compliance by health care workers. We'll put the bottom line at the top: there are many approaches to solve the Achilles "hand" of infection prevention and none of them is a panacea. -
Organizational culture issues, key strategies
It is important to investigate the reasons for nonadherence to hand hygiene guidelines before deciding on one or more improvement strategies, according to a new report by The Joint Commission and its partners. It also is useful to examine the organizational context of health care delivery, which may facilitate or inhibit adherence. Such organizational factors include: