Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Denise Grady, The New York Times
As doctors treated the horrific injuries of victims shot in the Pulse nightclub massacre here, a mistaken report of a gunman nearby forced officials to briefly lock down the emergency room; the medical staff shoved heavy X-ray machines against the doors, creating a makeshift barricade in a treatment bay.

Jamie Morgan, Health Facilities Management
The Joint Commission says hospitals will have until November to prepare for new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements. The American Society for Healthcare Engineering reported to its members that CMS will begin surveying healthcare facilities on its new Conditions of Participation (CoPs) on Nov. 7.

Jamie Morgan, Health Facilities Management
Powered for Patients is taking lessons learned from a Rhode Island project to improve deployment of resources at hospitals during disasters.

Julius A. Karash, Hospitals & Health Networks
The recent appearance in the United States of an Escherichia coli strain that is resistant to the drug-of-last-resort colistin means hospitals should intensify efforts to prevent the spread of infectious bacteria, experts in the field say.

Infection Control Today
Hospitals are penalized for readmitting patients within a 30-day time period. An award-winning app developed by graduate students at Binghamton University, State University of New York, could help reduce these readmission rates and save the healthcare industry billions.

Kelly M. Pyrek, Infection Control Today
A new guidance document aims to provide an updated assessment of the resources and requirements for an effective infection prevention and control/healthcare epidemiology (IPC/HE) program.

News-Medical.net
In clinical settings, mobile phones benefit patients by placing useful data and information at the fingertips of health professionals during interactions on the ward. But are doctors and nurses unwittingly exposing vulnerable patients to a potential source of infection just by tapping their touch screen?

Shannon Barnet, Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality
Five researchers have suggested physician specialty is more closely related to hand hygiene compliance rates than a physician's age.

Infection Control Today
Research being presented at the ASM Microbe research meeting provides clear evidence that the gloves of healthcare workers contaminate hospital surfaces with bacteria. The researchers' data also suggest that types of bacteria may affect cross-transmission rates among contaminated gloves and the hospital surfaces.

Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality
From tablets in hallway kiosks to doctors’ own smartphones, touchscreen surfaces abound in healthcare settings. PDI, a provider of infection prevention products and solutions, recently released an infographic that showcases how screens used in the healthcare setting are often teaming with germs that can threaten patient safety.

Brian Zimmerman, Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality
Delivering comfortable, supportive and compassionate care has become essential to a hospital's success in the era of patient satisfaction. While hospital visits often last days, a 2013 study found that the average time a physician spends with his or her patients is a mere eight minutes, suggesting all hospital employees must play an active role in the patient experience to insure high levels of satisfaction.

Stephen Swensen, MD, MMM, FACR, NEJM Catalyst Blog
Camaraderie is the spirit of trust and friendship. More than a nice-to-have among co-workers, camaraderie is actually a crucial indicator of successful leadership. Leadership is a social process to engage teams of colleagues to meet challenges and then overcome them. In my career-long study of leadership, I’ve found that the best organizations engage associates who serve on diverse multidisciplinary teams through camaraderie.

AHE is gathering input from environmental services departments across the country to identify baseline staffing productivity standards. The results of this data gathering will be used in building staffing models and providing metrics for environmental services directors. You can be a key player in identifying and establishing these important staffing criteria for our industry.

To acknowledge the ongoing and outstanding sustainability efforts of healthcare facilities - and environmental service departments in particular - the AHE presents the Environmental Sustainability Certificate Program. This program not only provides guidance on efficient, effective and value-added environmentally sustainable healthcare operations, but also provides it in such a way that is achievable within all budgets. It is part of the AHE’s overall sustainability initiative, which includes ongoing development of sustainability programs, publications and educational opportunities.

The healthcare environment is rapidly changing, and healthcare facilities must adapt. To thrive in this ever-shifting work world, environmental services leaders must make employee engagement a priority. At the end of this course you will receive 4 continuing professional education (CPE) credits towards your CHESP renewal. Course begins next Monday, June 27. FREE for AHE members!

Interested in leading AHE into the future? Apply today before the end-of-the-month deadline!

AHE has started this initiative to encourage professionals in the field to begin, or continue to refer to the departments and the personnel caring for the healthcare environment as environmental services professionals rather than as housekeepers, janitors and custodians. The staff and management teams responsible for maintaining the clinical environment of care require different skills and competencies from those needed in the commercial cleaning and general maintenance industry and it's time we address this critical distinction.

Please join AHE in ongoing efforts.

EXCHANGE 2016 will be held on September 25-28, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA. This year, EXCHANGE attendees can look forward to:
• Preconference Workshop
• CHEST Preconference Workshop
• CMIP Preconference Workshop
• Micro Sessions
• Extended Sessions
• Healthcare Marketplace

If interested in contributing to EXPLORE by authoring a best-practices article, email Russell Underwood, EXPLORE editor, for more information. The magazine covers all aspects relevant to healthcare environmental services professionals.

Joe Tye, EXPLORE magazine
When I walk into your facility, my first impression will be created by the visible architecture. Is it beautifully designed and well-maintained? But if I’m a patient, visitor, or new employee, that first impression will quickly be replaced by what I see of what I call your organization’s Invisible Architecture™ of values, culture, and attitude.

Brenda Marks, BN, MBA, EXPLORE magazine
Preparing for the next admission is an important task in healthcare facilities. Cleaning and disinfecting all patient care areas is essential to preventing healthcare-acquired infections. In addition, all furnishing and equipment should be regularly inspected to ensure they are safe and properly maintained.