U.S. Plans to Go Public on Hospital Infections
from Emerging Health Threats
 Public reporting of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) could become mandatory in the U.S. if a proposed major health care legislation gets approved by the House of Representatives. In a joint letter to members of Congress, five public-health organizations have voiced their support for the requirement, saying it will help to cut down on potentially deadly hospital infections. More 
Nominations for the ASHES Board Elections are Open!
from ASHES
ASHES is looking for strong visionary leaders willing and able to share their time and talents on the ASHES board of directors. Two At-Large board seats are open for a three year term beginning January 2010 and ending December 2012. The board of directors sets the strategic direction of ASHES based on member input and survey data.
All full members meeting the qualifications and eligibility requirements as prescribed in the By-laws, Article 7 Section 7.1 may complete the Nominations Packet in accordance with the submission directions and guidelines. Candidates accepted by the Nominations Committee will be placed on the official ballot for the upcoming fall election.
Click here to download the At-Large Board Member Packet. Submissions must be received on or before noon on Friday, August 28,2009 to be considered. ASHES recommends confirming receipt of your Nomination information. Late submissions will not be considered.
All eligibility and nominations questions may be answered by contacting Patti Costello, ASHES Executive Director at 312-422-3862 or pcostello@aha.org.
25 Percent Off Select Environmental Services Week Product – Order Today!
from ASHES
During these tough economic times and staff and budget cutbacks, Healthcare ES and Housekeeping Week is the perfect time to demonstrate how much your organization appreciates and recognizes the important role of the unsung heroes on the front line of infection prevention. Celebrate this special week, September 13-19 and keep your staff motivated! Click here to purchase products from the ASHES Official supplier of Healthcare ES and Housekeeping Week products. Royalties purchased from the ASHES Official ES Week Supplier on all ES Week products assist ASHES with fulfilling its mission. More
Sanitizer Automates Disinfection of Hard-to-Clean Hospital Equipment
from Infection Control Today
Johns Hopkins experts in applied physics, computer engineering, infectious diseases, emergency medicine, microbiology, pathology and surgery have unveiled a 7-foot-tall, $10,000 shower-cubicle-shaped device that automatically sanitizes in 30 minutes all sorts of hard-to-clean equipment in the highly trafficked hospital emergency department. The novel device can sanitize and disinfect equipment of all shapes and sizes, from intravenous line poles and blood pressure cuffs, to pulse oximeter wires and electrocardiogram (EKG) wires, to computer keyboards and cellphones. More
Florida Hospital Uses RFID to Monitor Employee Hand Washing
from RFIDNews
The University of Miami UM-JMH Center for Patient Safety at Jackson Memorial Hospital is testing a new system of monitoring employee hand washing using RFID and infrared technologies. More
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Product Showcase: QUICK-DRAIN™ by Bemis
 Quick-Drain™ provides safe and cost-effective disposal of liquid infectious waste. Fluid goes into the sanitary sewer at a rate of 500cc per second saving staff time. Saves money by reducing red bag waste and eliminating per-use disposal costs such as solidifiers. Connects to existing plumbing and requires no electricity. Converting to just one Activeion Pro is equivalent to saving 93 gallons of gasoline or 2 barrels of oil. More info
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As Swine Flu Deaths Rise Worldwide, US Schools Brace For "Nasty" Flu Season
from Medical News Today
Following a recent World Health Organization (WHO) report that over 1,000 of 1,154 people who have died worldwide from the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic were in the Americas, schools in the US brace themselves for a "nasty" flu season.
More
Researchers Discover Gene Responsible for Staph Severity
from Infection Control Today
Scientists studying Staphylococcus bacteria, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), have discovered a potent staph toxin responsible for disease severity. They also found the gene for the toxin traveling with a genetic component of Staphylococcus that controls resistance to antibiotics. The study, now online in PLoS Pathogens, shows for the first time that genetic factors that affect Staphylococcus virulence and drug resistance can be transferred from one strain to another in one exchange event. More
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Product Showcase: The Activeion Pro
 The Sustainable Way to Clean. By eliminating the need for general-purpose cleaning chemicals, the Activeion Pro dramatically reduces the environmental impact of manufacturing, transporting, and disposing of chemicals and their related packaging. More
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Guide Helps Hospitals Achieve Smoke-free Campus
from AHA News Now
The AHA and its Association for Community Health Improvement are promoting a free guide to help hospitals and health systems achieve a smoke-free campus. Click here.
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