While Joint Commission accreditation lends credibility to a healthcare organization and helps them earn public trust, it also comes with a caveat: regular visits or “surveys” from Joint Commission officials. Since the Joint Commission has no duty to inform the facility of a visit ahead of time, healthcare facilities looking to maintain their accreditation must […]
Is Your Healthcare Facility Joint Commission Survey Ready? Read More »
It Can Happen to Anyone Recently, a friend of mine relayed an interesting story to me. Her husband was walking by a hospital when he felt a couple of droplets hit his face. It was a sunny day, but he looked up, expecting to spot at least a small rain cloud. Seeing none, he realized
Averting Tragedy: Testing Cooling Towers for Legionella Read More »
If You Didn’t Document It, Did It Really Happen? The 2022 revisions to USP <797> place an increased emphasis on the documentation of standard operating procedures (SOPs), including personnel training, sampling protocols, environmental maintenance, and more. In the event of an audit or adverse event, accurate and thorough record-keeping serves as evidence that processes and
The Media COA: A Critical Component of the USP <797> Standard Read More »
In December 2024, Pace® designated its laboratory in Pennsauken, NJ as a Center of Excellence for Fungal Analysis. Staffed by a team of expert mycologists and led by Dr. Chin Yang and Dr. Ching-Yi Tsai, our new COE provides a wide array of mold and fungal testing and analysis services to support our Building Services clients. In addition, the
Wood Decay and Wood Rot Fungi: The What, the Where, and the Why Read More »
As schools across the country gear up for the new academic year, ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment for students and staff is paramount. In school safety discussions, it can be easy to overlook hidden dangers. Among the foremost concerns in today’s schools are the threats posed by Legionella, asbestos, and lead. The Re-emergence of Legionella
School Safety 101: Identifying the Hidden Threats of Legionella, Asbestos, and Lead Read More »
With demands on the American healthcare system growing, construction projects to expand capacity or update services are a common sight in facilities across the country. However, construction and renovation projects can inadvertently pose significant health risks if not managed properly. Among the various hazards, microbiological dangers such as Legionella, molds, and other waterborne or airborne pathogens
The Hidden Risks of Healthcare Construction Read More »
Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) are a major public health concern as they increase the length of hospital stays, healthcare costs, and mortality rates. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HAIs rose by 47% across all types of healthcare facilities and by 65% in intensive care units (ICUs). Thankfully, rates have dropped again, but the pandemic demonstrated just how vulnerable healthcare
Reducing Healthcare-Associated Infections with AAMI ST108 Read More »
Curious about the advantages and limitations of various asbestos detection methods? During my April webinar, I took a deep dive into settled dust sampling—a topic that’s both technically important and practically relevant for industry professionals. Let’s start with the basics: settled dust refers to those loose fibers and particles that collect on surfaces throughout buildings.
Decoding Asbestos Dust Sampling: What You Need to Know Read More »
Just add water… Mold grows in hospitals and other healthcare facilities for the same reason it grows in old buildings. Mold spores are everywhere, and all it takes is a bit of moisture to activate them. However, while common molds in a residential or office building may cause allergy symptoms in those with mold sensitivities,
Top 4 High-Risk Molds in Healthcare Facilities and How to Address Them Read More »
USP <797> is often talked about as though compliance is a “pass/fail” test. Either CFU counts are exceeded or they are not. However, the USP <797> mentions data trending several times throughout the standard. In this post, we will look at what data trending is, how it’s used to promote patient safety, and how and
The Importance of Trending in USP <797> Compliance Read More »