Shannon Barnet, Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality
Nominations and applications have opened for the American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize, which honors hospitals pursuing excellence through hospital leadership and innovation in quality improvement and safety.

Larry Stewart, For Construction Pros
The Supreme Court affirmation last week of key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may unleash spending on health-care construction, which has been "moribund" since the law’s 2010 signing, according to Alex Carrick, chief economist with CMD.

Medical Construction & Design
Targeting some of the most common causes of workplace injury and illness in the healthcare industry, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the agency is expanding its use of enforcement resources in hospitals and nursing homes to focus on: musculoskeletal disorders related to patient or resident handling; bloodborne pathogens; workplace violence; tuberculosis and slips, trips and falls.

Heather Punke, Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality
A woman in Washington state has died from the measles, meaning the United States has recorded its first measles death since 2003, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

Kimberly Bonvissuto, Healthcare Facilities Today
An increase in violence in the healthcare field, domestic disputes that spill over into hospitals, theft at physician offices and budget cuts to local law enforcement agencies led some healthcare systems across the country to invest in their own on-site police forces.

Jamie Morgan, Health Facilities Management
As baby boomers prepare to retire, putting off a succession plan is no longer an option.

Ellen Taylor, Healthcare Design Magazine
Maybe you’ve heard about the latest research scandal of a retracted paper in the journal Science. It was a fascinating study about changing minds, and I heard an interview with the study team on the radio show This American Life one Saturday while doing errands.

Jamie Morgan, Health Facilities Management
Led by the Joint Commission, the study also will explore the benefits and challenges hospitals have experienced in readying for Ebola.

World Health Organization
Between 4 and 7 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of two additional confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Infection Control Today
The Affordable Care Act created several national initiatives aimed at reducing hospital readmission rates for heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and other common high-risk conditions. But there is still no national program intended to address sepsis, a potentially life-threatening illness caused by infection.

McMaster University via Infection Control Today
Infectious diseases such as hepatitis C and some of the world's deadliest superbugs – C. difficile and MRSA among them – could soon be detected much earlier by a unique diagnostic test, designed to easily and quickly identify dangerous pathogens.

Infection Control Today
Global concern about antibiotic resistance and the spread of deadly viruses like MERS and Ebola is at an all-time high. Meanwhile, a recent Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) progress report found that U.S. hospitals have not met national healthcare-associated infection (HAI) reduction goals.

Gwen Moran, Fast Company
In a thrilling, record-breaking game, the United States women’s national soccer team (USWNT) won its third FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) championship after defeating Japan 5-2 in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday, July 5.

Douglas Brown, Pulse
I recently read an interesting article by Tanya Prive at www.forbes.com that identified 10 qualities that make a great leader. They are all important and all are a piece of the puzzle.

David Reese, Fortune
Whether you enjoy sitting in a cubicle or taking meetings outside, find the environment where you feel most creative.

July 13 – September 28
To win in today’s challenging job market, you must distinguish yourself from the competition. If you are a new manager or supervisor in environmental services, consider building your professional knowledge and developing critical skills through enrollment in the Foundations for Success in Environmental Services Management course.

Continuing Professional Education Credits:
At the end of this course you will receive twelve (12) continuing professional education (CPE) credits towards your CHESP renewal.

Free for AHE members!

The deadline for all awards is this Friday, July 10, at 4:30 p.m. PST. Nominate your peers (or yourself) to demonstrate the stellar work you have been doing in your hospitals and communities.

• Environmental Services Department of the Year Award
• Heart of Healthcare Award
• Innovation Award
• J. Owen Flynn Award
• James Wolfbrandt Award
• Phoenix Award (open to members only)

New this year includes a Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Technician Workshop, Express Labs, and exciting pre-conference events. Open registration is available until July 31, 2015.