MRSA Rates Higher Than You Think
from The Straits Times
 Statistics show that hospital-acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has fallen from three per 1,000 patients in 2002 to 2.2 patients in 2007 at public hospitals in Singapore. These figures have been dragged down by the brilliant performance of the National University Hospital, where infections have been almost halved from four to 2.1 per 1,000 patients in that five-year period.
But what the figures don’t show is that the hospital has changed the way it counts MRSA infections.
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Pilot Study Demonstrates Effectiveness of New Method for Monitoring Hand Hygiene Compliance
from Infection Control Today
Epidemiologists and computer scientists at the University of Iowa have collaborated to create a new low-cost, green technology for automatically tracking the use of hand hygiene dispensers before healthcare workers enter and after they exit patient rooms. This novel method of monitoring hand hygiene compliance, which is essential for infection control in hospitals, was released today at the annual meeting of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).
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UV Lights Decrease Infectious TB in Hospital Room Air
from Medical News Today
The simple intervention of using ultraviolet (UV) lights near the ceiling together with fans may reduce the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in hospitals, and air treatment with negative ionizers may also be effective, according to research published in PLoS Medicine. More
Purdue Experts On Pigs And MRSA Infection Say Link Is Highly Speculative
from Medical News Today
Purdue University experts said a New York Times opinion piece this week that tried to establish pigs as a source of MRSA infection for humans is "highly speculative."
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APIC Offers Tips for Reducing Infection Risk in Outpatient Clinics
from Occupational Health & Safety
According to CDC, outpatient surgery now accounts for nearly two-thirds of all surgery visits. The settings for these freestanding health care centers often are more convenient and the turnaround time quicker than at a hospital, and, according to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, most patients who have outpatient surgery recover fine. However, because surgical wound infections can occur when germs from the skin or the environment enter the incision made during the operation and infection control issues such as unsafe injection practices and the re-use of syringes have been reported at some ambulatory care clinics, APIC has issued a set of tips that can be used by prospective patients and providers alike.
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MRSA Study Suggests Strategy Shift Needed to Develop Effective Therapeutics
from Infection Control Today
USA 300-the major epidemic strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causing severe infections in the United States during the past decade—inherits its destructiveness directly from a forefather strain of the bacterium called USA500 rather than randomly acquiring harmful genes from other MRSA strains. This finding comes from a new study led by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.More
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Product Showcase: Activeion Pro
 The Activeion Pro transforms tap water into a powerful cleaner freeing healthcare professionals from the impact of cleaning chemicals. In fact, the Activeion Pro can eliminate up to 47 of today’s general-purpose, glass, and carpet cleaning chemicals, resulting in lower costs, simplified processes, and safer environments for their patients and employees. Visit this site today.
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ASHES Web Cast: Staffing for a Troubled Economy
from ASHES
Are you managing your ES department staff efficiently? With today's economy, the stakes are high. The web cast "Staffing for a Troubled Economy" will give you the tools to justify the staff needed to maintain a high-quality, patient-centered operation. ASHES member, Robert Hodnik, presents an innovative task frequency analysis model to determine staffing needs. Participants will learn to utilize a quantitative model of productivity based upon fixed and variable tasks performed rather than traditional methods such as square footage. This model can be a useful means of documenting, in an objective manner, the number of employees necessary to achieve departmental and institutional goals. Register today to participate in this valuable learning experience. More
2009 ASHES Conference Registration Now Open!
from Science Daily
Don't let the economy get in the way of accelerating your healthcare facility's performance or your career! Join your peers and exhibitors in Reno, NV; the largest, little town in the world! Make the ASHES 24th Annual Conference and Healthcare Marketplace your most valuable resource this year. Come to Reno and cross the threshold of expanded knowledge to broaden your horizons and accelerate your career. Whatever your career level may be, ASHES has planned educational sessions to accommodate everyone from beginners to experts. Be sure to visit the Healthcare Marketplace to start making your 2010 “wish list” with all the latest products and technologies available to healthcare environmental services professionals. More
HHS Issues Special Report on Health Reform and Launches New healthreform.gov Web Site
from HHS.gov
Americans expressed serious concerns regarding health care in a new report released by the Department of Health and Human Services. The report, Americans Speak on Health Reform: Report on Health Care Community Discussions, summarizes comments from the thousands of Americans who hosted and participated in Health Care Community Discussions across the country and highlights the need for immediate action to reform health care. More
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