Environmental Protection Agency
The Agency is in the process of developing a new proposal to establish appropriate standards for the management and disposal of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals generated by healthcare facilities. This most recent effort is a continuation of the December 2, 2008, proposal to add hazardous waste pharmaceuticals to the Universal Waste Program.

Rutgers University via Infection Control Today
Measles, a highly contagious respiratory infection that causes serious complications in about three of 10 people, has been grabbing headlines since last December’s outbreak at Disneyland. In January, the CDC reported 102 cases of measles in 14 states. One unconfirmed case was just reported in New Jersey. Measured against the approximately 600 cases reported in 2014, this year is on track to set a record for a disease that was declared eradicated in the United States in 2000.

Modern Healthcare
Those squat disinfecting robots that zap deadly pathogens seem to have more personality than expected. The robots from manufacturer Xenex Disinfection Services—one of the top sellers in the category—arrive already named by the company, but most hospitals redub the little fellas.

By Steven Ross Johnson, Modern Healthcare
For the first time this year, new cases of Ebola increased last week in all three affected West African countries hit hard by the outbreak. The setback comes after weeks of signs suggesting the outbreak was beginning to wane.

Rock Jensen, Health Facilities Management
Staffing is by far the largest expense the environmental services department incurs, typically accounting for 75–80 percent of total department spending. Given these numbers, it’s clear that staffing has the ability to make or break the financial backbone of the entire departmental budget. No other environmental services departmental successes will offset failures associated with ineffective staffing.

Megan McCormack, Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality
A recent article by Medline Industries, Inc., advises addressing germ hot spots in clinics and doctors’ offices to help prevent the spread of the influenza virus. According to Medline, there are five easy precautions that can slow the spread of the virus in waiting rooms. Martie Moore, chief nursing officer for Medline Industries, Inc., suggests the following measures as a way to help keep waiting rooms germ-free.

Shannon Barnet, Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality
Health care worker compliance with the World Health Organization's six steps of using hand rub to completely cover hands pales in comparison to their compliance with WHO's Five Moments for Hand Hygiene, according to a study published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.

Heather Punke, Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality
After a record high flu level in December 2014, as measured by Gallup, reports of Americans having the flu declined in January, as the average of Americans who reported they "were sick with the flu yesterday" declined from 4 percent in December to 3.3 percent last month.

Kim Barnhardt, MBA/MHA, BS, RN, CPSO, EndoNurse
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics are well known—one in every 20 hospital patients acquires an infection while receiving medical care in hospitals. The CDC’s most recent estimates blame these HAIs for nearly 100,000 deaths annually.

Debra Beaulieu-Volk, FierceHealthcare
A worldwide fund is necessary to combat the growing threat of drug-resistant superbugs, according to a new report released this week and backed by the British government.

Jennifer Bresnick, HealthIT Analytics
In his annual budget request, President Obama will ask Congress for $1.2 billion to fight hospital acquired infections produced by superbugs, the antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are responsible for tens of thousands of deaths each year. With antibiotic stewardship becoming a hot topic among hospitals forking over financial penalties for preventable infections, the funding would provide a significant platform for health care providers to continue battling their insidious foe.

Bill Jensen, Huffington Post
As if your job wasn't difficult already—it truly is!—you oversee yesterday's crumbling management pillars, and your job is to transition into a new and historic future. Wow. Either you are a glutton for punishment or you are already my hero! Well, with great responsibility come great responsibilities. Let's dig into that.

Tamara Rosin, Becker’s Hospital Review
Hospital and health system leaders need to be critical thinkers, creative problem solvers, and effective at prioritizing objectives. But leaders in health care don't run the show alone—there is a wide range of employees with whom CEOs and other executives interact and count on to make their organization successful. In short, leaders must be more than smart—they have to be people-smart.

Shannon Barnet, Becker’s Hospital Review
Hospitals and health system have the power to transform health care delivery and uncover new opportunities using their greatest assets: people. Renown author and vice president of customer success at KaiNexus Mark Graban, and Gregg Gordon, senior director of strategic consulting at Kronos, hosted a webinar and discussed the "people side of lean strategies" and various staffing techniques to ensure organizations are utilizing their staff to the fullest.

Do you know someone in environmental services who you want to recognize for their hard work? Honor someone that you believe is doing an outstanding job in environmental services by nominating them today. Let them know that their work doesn’t go unnoticed. AHE’s awards and recognition program acknowledges and elevates those who have demonstrated the highest level of effort and leadership in the field. Award recipients are those who work towards advocating and educating themselves on best practices and standards, developing leaders within the health care environment, and recognizing the profession in the health care community. Apply today!

Access the 2015 calendar of events for AHE learning opportunities, including courses, webinars and the annual conference. Registration to open shortly.

We’re gathering submissions for the next issue of EXPLORE magazine, where we’re digging into the many facets of EVS – beyond just cleaning and disinfection. There are so many other responsibilities and aspects of the job, so we want to solicit your expertise to share with other AHE members. Do you have special knowledge in the following areas? If so, email EXPLORE editor Heather at hwilliams@naylor.com to learn how you can contribute.

Topics: Patient transport, waste management and compliance (where to find /how to find it by state), safety and security, workplace violence (active shooters/emergency management), construction and design

Amanda Cassidy, HealthAffairs
Hospitals can provide services on either an inpatient or an outpatient basis. Medicare pays for inpatient services and outpatient services under separate and very different payment systems, which can produce substantially different payment amounts for similar patients receiving similar services. The cost-sharing implications for beneficiaries under the two systems can also vary significantly.