Scientists put interactive flu tracking at public's fingertips
Science Daily
New methods of studying avian influenza strains and visually mapping their movement around the world will help scientists more quickly learn the behavior of the pandemic H1N1 flu virus, Ohio State University researchers say. The researchers linked many powerful computer systems together to analyze enormous amounts of genetic data collected from all publicly available isolated strains of the H5N1 virus—the cause of avian flu.More

Hospitals outline progress since IOM report on patient safety
AHA News Now
Hospitals have made great strides over the past 10 years in patient safety, transparency and the way they work, AHA President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock said during a panel discussion.More

Previous seasonal flu infections may provide some level of H1N1 immunity
Infection Control Today
Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology have found that previous influenza infections may provide at least some level of immunity to the H1N1 influenza. More

ASHES' Business Case for Environmental Services - Integrated Pest Management (Sponsored by Orkin)
ASHES
ASHES offers comprehensive IPM planning and implementation guidelines in its ASHES Recommended Practice: Integrated Pest Management, co-authored by experts from ASHES and Orkin, Inc., and available from the AHA Online Store (under "Environmental Services"). Click here to view an overview of a typical IPM implementation based on this best-practices guide.More

Could widely used rapid influenza tests pose a dangerous public health risk?
Science Daily
Rapid influenza diagnostic tests used in doctors' offices, hospitals and medical laboratories to detect H1N1 are virtually useless and could pose a significant danger to public health, according to a Loyola University Medical Center researcher. More

Report: Inpatient satisfaction continues to rise
AHA News Now
Hospital patient satisfaction reached a new peak last year, according a new report from Press Ganey Associates. In October 2008, the company reported an unprecedented 1.5 percent jump in overall inpatient satisfaction and a 2 percent increase in the likelihood patients would recommend their hospital to family and friends.More

Public may find it hard to follow measures to limit spread of infection
Infection Control Today
The H1N1 flu virus is spreading misery around the country, but University of Michigan researchers say that implementing and sustaining infection-limiting measures will still be a challenge. In focus groups with residents from four Michigan communities, U-M researchers found that people's mistrust in government and concerns about job security or financial burdens would make social distancing efforts hard to maintain in any pandemic. The study's results were published this month in the American Journal of Bioethics. More

H1N1 flu vaccines
Flu.gov
CMS would appreciate your help communicating with the public, especially seniors and vulnerable populations, that Medicare and Medicaid cover both the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines. Seniors are encouraged to get their seasonal flu vaccine as soon as possible. The vaccine that protects against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus (sometimes called swine flu) is a separate vaccine and is available now. The first available doses of this vaccine should be given to those at highest risk of infection and complications such as children, pregnant women, health care workers and younger adults with certain medical conditions. There is some evidence that people 65 and older are less likely than younger people to be infected with the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus.
Please share this bilingual mini-poster with your colleagues and encourage them to post it in places where Medicare patients will see and understand the need for their seasonal flu shot and that they can get the H1N1 vaccine once the high risk groups are vaccinated.

We encourage Medicare practitioners to refer patients to www.flu.gov if they need more information about the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines. Information for practitioners, mass immunizers and others who want to bill Medicare for the flu vaccines can be obtained at www.cms.hhs.gov/adultimmunizations. The Immunizers Q & A Guide in the download section also includes a list of regional CMS contacts on page 55 that would be helpful if you want to organize a large scale immunization clinic for seniors. More

ASHES announces online education courses for January
ASHES
Start the New Year off on the right foot and register for one of the ASHES online education courses starting in January. The Supervisory Course and Director Course will begin Monday, January 11. Starting January 25, we will start the CHESP Study Group. Click here to view the complete listing of online education courses.More

RTLS systems can save hospitals $750K a year
Healthcare Finance News
A study of the use of a real-time location system (RTLS) at Southeastern Regional Medical Center indicates the technology can save hospitals hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, improve clinical outcomes and boost staff morale.More

ASHES offers Secrets of Productivity Webcast
ASHES
Last chance to earn CPEs in 2009! Join ASHES and Eileen Webb on December 9 at 12noon CST for this live, interactive webcast. If you are being asked to do more with less or improve speed and quality, this session is for you. You will learn the seven wastes that reduce productivity. We'll review a dozen techniques that are used to reduce these wastes and improve work processes. You will take away ideas that you can implement right away that get results quickly. Click here for more information and to register today! More