January 27, 2010 -- Hospital Impact has been ranked one of the top 50 healthcare blogs by Wikio.
Join our online community!
Latest Posts
Hospital Leadership Series
Hot Topics
by Dan Bowman
Associate Editor - FierceHealthIT
By all indications, this year's HIMSS09 show in Chicago will be extremely thought provoking--11 sessions are dedicated to the economic stimulus package and the effects it will have on the healthcare landscape.
What's more, healthcare technology seems to be coming of age rather rapidly. Between the push for mandatory adoption of electronic medical records and the expanding efforts by physicians and organizations to be relevant in a Health 2.0 world, the healthcare of yesterday is being swept aside to make way for the practices of tomorrow. Compliance issues for new technology and physician-oriented social media networks were among the hot topics of FierceHealthIT's preview webinar, which took place this past Tuesday.
Count us, at FierceHealthIT, among those who have jumped on the bandwagon. Both Anne Zieger--Editor-In-Chief of FierceHealthIT--and I will be sending out live updates from HIMSS09 via Twitter; furthermore, we'll provide you with in-depth stories from various keynotes and educational sessions. If you're unable to attend this year's conference, we've got you covered.
Safety TipHospital facilities built today do not include asbestos, but many older buildings still have asbestos components in them. Steam pipes, boilers and furnace ducts were often insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape because of their fireproof and insulating properties. Resilient floor tiles were made from vinyl asbestos. Asbestos cement was employed in roofing, shingles and siding materials. The hazard of this carcinogen increases when the fibers become airborne, and untrained contractors can inadvertently increase risks by cutting, tearing, sawing, scraping, or sanding asbestos materials. Elevated asbestos levels can occur in hospitals where old materials are damaged or disturbed. It is best to leave undamaged asbestos material alone if it is not likely to be disturbed. Inhaling asbestos fibers is known to cause mesothelioma and other diseases. Be sure to use an experienced asbestos removal contractor when you need to get rid of old materials that might contain asbestos. |