Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
It’s not hard to get someone’s attention when you start off talking about cutting costs and strengthening the bottom line. But what about those times when the best environmental move increases costs, at least in the short term? During a time of tumultuous change and tightening budgets, it can be tough to engage a hospital in activities that don’t offer immediate financial gain. "When things cost more, we’ve got a big challenge in front of us," says Janet Howard, director of facility engagement at Practice Greenhealth (PGH), a non-profit membership organization.

Jonathan Lamantia, Crain’s New York Business
Trends in health care have been very good to the construction industry for the past few years. The move from inpatient to outpatient settings has meant billions of dollars in projects, from new ambulatory facilities to hospital renovations. Some 300 contractors, engineers, architects, and others gathered last week at an event hosted by the Engineering News-Record to learn how to get a piece of the action.

Rob Matheson, HealthCanal
The World Health Organization (WHO) cites good hand hygiene as a major factor in stopping the spread of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) caused by exposure to various bacteria. In fact, in 2009 the WHO released its "Five Moments of Hand Hygiene" guidelines, which pinpoint five key moments when hospital staff should wash their hands: before touching a patient, before aseptic procedures, after possible exposure to bodily fluids, after touching a patient, and after touching a patient’s surroundings.

Carlo Calma, American Laundry News
Laundry managers are charged with dealing with many operational tasks, including managing their facility’s overhead costs. According to David Chadsey, then-managing director at Laundry-Consulting.com, utilities are among the highest costs in many laundry facilities, second only to labor.

Heather Punke, Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality
Through Feb. 27, 170 people in 17 states and Washington, D.C., have developed measles, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up from 154 reported cases through Feb. 20.

Maggie Fox, NBC News
The United States fumbled its response to the Ebola epidemic before it even began, neglecting experiments to make vaccines and drugs against the virus, and cutting funding to key public health agencies, a presidential commission said Thursday.

Rachael Rettner and LiveScience, Scientific American
A visit from a furry companion can give comfort to patients in the hospital, but new guidelines recommend that only dogs—and not cats—be allowed in hospitals for pet therapy programs.

Shannon Barnet, Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality
Gowning and gloving for all patient interactions may significantly reduce the contamination of health care workers' clothes while they practice care, according to a study published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.

Cheryl Clark, HealthLeaders Media via Medpage Today
Clostridium difficile infection sickened 453,000 people in the U.S. in 2011—80 percent more than previously reported—and was associated with 29,000 deaths that year, says a report from the CDC.

SHEA via Infection Control Today
New expert guidance by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) outlines recommendations for developing policies regarding the use of animals in health care facilities, including animal-assisted activities, service animals, research animals, and personal pet visitation in acute-care hospitals. The guidance was published online in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.

University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna via Infection Control Today
Listeria monocytogenes is a so-called environmental bacterium. It is highly adaptable and resistant. Previous studies carried out at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna have shown that L. monocytogenes is more prevalent in rural areas than in cities. But the situation in urban lavatories had so far not been investigated.

Bradley Corporation via Infection Control Today
A national survey finds that Americans are hit-or-miss about washing their hands after using a public restroom. And, men seem to be less concerned about washing up than women. The results are part of the Healthy Hand Washing Survey conducted by Bradley Corporation, a manufacturer of commercial plumbing fixtures, washroom accessories, partition cubicles, emergency fixtures, and solid plastic lockers.

Dennis Hackemeyer, PR Newswire
Health care organizations now have a new tool in the fight to create cleaner health care facilities. As part of a community health initiative related to a $2 million research and development grant application, NanoTouch Materials agreed to provide specially priced NanoSeptic surfaces to any organization in Virginia's Tobacco Commission region.

Callie Schweitzer, TIME
As an employee, you function mostly as a solitary unit. You do your part, produce your "output," and the work is done. But as a manager (or more precisely, a leader—managers manage tasks, leaders lead people), everything changes. Your success is no longer about your own output, it’s about other people’s—the most important work you do is often what enables other people to do their jobs. But finding your way can be difficult. So in honor of National Book Month, here are three books that every leader should read to succeed.

Jason Geller, Fast Company
There’s no shortage of challenges facing business leaders today. From data breaches to competition from emerging markets, the list goes on. But the most important challenge facing leaders isn’t an external threat. It’s the one that’s coming from inside company walls, ready to derail all the hard work that goes into building a profitable organization. It’s your leadership pipeline, or lack thereof.

Greg Satell, Forbes
I first became a manager in my 20’s and, back then, I probably wasn’t a very good one. Nothing really prepares you to lead other people. There is, of course, no shortage of advice out there, but most of it is more myth and lore than anything else and not very helpful.

Thursday, March 19
Effectively managing change involves evaluating, planning and implementing processes, tactics, and strategies.

MyAHE is the area for you to collaborate and interact with your peers to discuss and compare solutions to common issues. We welcome you to provide feedback, network, and share your knowledge with others. MyAHE allows you to network in real-time with peers and experts around the country. We want to make sure you are making the most of this robust members-only benefit since research has shown that networking is a top rated benefit of AHE members.

Environmental Services Technician Certification will not only signify technical accomplishment, but also commitment to performance excellence. Begin differentiating your team of environmental services technicians... and start making significant contributions to the patient experience of care, the facility, the profession, and the community!

The AHE Innovation Award presents a tremendous opportunity for companies and organizations to be recognized for innovative and improved products, processes, and technology advancements. AHE’s goal with the Innovation Award is to increase awareness of innovations that empower individuals and organizations to improve measured outcomes in the health care environment. The award is open to AHE members and non-members and requires a nominal application fee of $300 at the time of application. Apply now!

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!

Bruce Jaspen, Forbes
Hospital operators continue to see profits and revenue not seen in a decade thanks to the Affordable Care Act and related efforts to sign up uninsured patients to coverage so facilities can reduce unpaid medical bills.