The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment completed its investigation into Denver-based Porter Adventist Hospital April 17. In its report, the CDPHE found the hospital failed to adequately sterilize surgical instruments, some of which were found to have chunks of bone, blood, dead bugs, hair and cement, among other contaminants, according to ABC 7 Denver.  By Alyssa Rege - 6/14/18

Maryland regulators are investigating the death of a patient who jumped out of a window at Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical Center June 4, according to a WBAL TV report.  By Alia Paavola - 6/13/18

  An integrated infection prevention response can serve as an effective strategy to combat disease outbreaks often spurred by decreasing immunization rates, according to a study presented at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology's 45th Annual Conference June 13-15 in Minneapolis.  By Harrison Cook - 6/13/18

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology selected Cindy Barnard, PhD, as the recipient of its 2018 Healthcare Administrator Award.  By Anuja Vaidya - 6/13/18

A structured collaborative project can be more effective than individual quality improvement efforts at reducing length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, according to a study published in Pediatrics.  By Anuja Vaidya - 6/13/18

Physician-assisted suicide should not be considered a medical treatment, as it would threaten patients' safety and break their trust with physicians, Matt Vallière, executive director of the Patients' Rights Action Fund, wrote in an op-ed for The HIll.  By Harrison Cook - 6/13/18

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, said the organization is "still at war" with Ebola during a news conference held in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Reuters.  By Harrison Cook - 6/13/18

Clorox Healthcare has announced a new addition to its leading portfolio of healthcare disinfectants: Clorox Healthcare VersaSure Cleaner Disinfectant Wipes, an innovative, fast acting alcohol-free quat solution that combines broad-spectrum disinfection efficacy with the versatility and compatibility needed for use on common healthcare surfaces facility-wide.  By Staff - 6/13/18

The CDC is investigating hepatitis A outbreaks across six states among patients reporting drug use and/or homelessness and their contacts, the agency stated in a recent advisory.  By Megan Knowles - 6/13/18

After Houston-based Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, part of Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives, suspended its heart transplant program June 1, 89 patients are in limbo waiting for care — some of whom have yet to directly hear from the hospital, the Houston Chronicle reports.  By Megan Knowles - 6/13/18

Researchers at State College-based Pennsylvania State University  and Tucson-based University of Arizona are developing smart antibiotics, which can target genes belonging to Clostridium difficile bacteria, according to a study published in The Journal of Antibiotics.  By Harrison Cook - 6/12/18

Joint Commission International named Kathryn Leonhardt, MD, principal consultant of its expanded quality and safety training program.  By Anuja Vaidya - 6/12/18

Although hospitals supply staff with protective equipment to prevent infection spread, this gear is often used in the wrong way, a study in JAMA Internal Medicine found.  By Megan Knowles - 6/12/18

A study, published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, examined physicians' preferences with regard to receiving feedback on antimicrobial use and how these may be used to improve antibiotic stewardship programs.  By Anuja Vaidya - 6/12/18

In a recent press release, nfant Feeding Solution has been named as one of six finalists in the Rehabilitation and Assistive-Technology category of the 20th annual Medical Device Excellence Awards (MDEA).  By Staff - 6/12/18

The Ohio House passed a bill June 7 that would prohibit hospitals from requiring nurses to work overtime — a move the Ohio Nurses Association says could make hospitals safer, the Dayton Daily News reports.  By Megan Knowles - 6/11/18

A nurse at Tahlequah, Okla.-based W.W. Hastings Hospital improperly administered medication through a reused syringe, potentially exposing 186 patients to HIV and hepatitis C, according to the Cherokee Phoenix.  By Alia Paavola - 6/11/18

The risk of death from sepsis due to a suppressed immune state was highest at hospitals with the lowest volume of immunosuppressed patients with sepsis, according to a study published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.  By Anuja Vaidya - 6/11/18

A study published in JAMA Network Open examines antibiotic prescribing among outpatients with acute respiratory infections during influenza season.  By Anuja Vaidya - 6/11/18

The CDC and FDA are investigating a five-state Salmonella Adelaide outbreak that has sickened 60 and hospitalized at least 31, the CDC reported June 8.   By Megan Knowles - 6/11/18