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Results for “Hospital Distribution Systems”

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At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Controlled evaluation of copper-silver ionization in eradicating Legionella pneumophila from a hospital water distribution system.

A controlled evaluation was made of the efficacy of copper-silver ionization in eradicating Legionella pneumophila from a hospital water supply. Copper-silver ionization units were installed on the hot water recirculation line of one building with water fixtures positive for Legionella species. Another building with the same water supply served as a control. Legionella species persisted within the system when copper and silver concentrations were < 0.3 and < 0.03 ppm, respectively. When copper and silver concentrations were > 0.4 and > 0.04 ppm, respectively, there was a significant decrease in Legionella species colonization, but the percentage of water fixtures positive for organisms was unchanged in the control building. When the ionization unit was inactivated, water fixtures continued to be free of Legionella species for 2 additional months. Copper-silver ionization can eradicate L. pneumophila in a water distribution system. The advantages of copper-silver ionization include relatively low cost, straightforward installation, easy maintenance, nontoxic by-products and the presence of a disinfecting residual.

Copper↗
PubMed1987

Determinants of Legionella pneumophila contamination of water distribution systems: 15-hospital prospective study.

We conducted a prospective environmental study for Legionella pneumophila in 15 hospitals in Pennsylvania. Hot water tanks, cold water sites, faucets, and showerheads were surveyed four times over a one-year period. Sixty percent (9/15) of hospitals surveyed were contaminated with L pneumophila. Although contamination could not be linked to a specific municipal water supplier, most of the contaminated supplies came from rivers. Parameters found to be significantly associated with contamination included elevated hot water temperature, vertical configuration of the hot water tank, older tanks, and elevated calcium and magnesium concentrations of the water (P less than 0.05). This study suggests that L pneumophila contamination could be predicted based on design of the distribution system, as well as physicochemical characteristics of the water.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1983

Technical and structural support systems and nurse utilization: systems model.

There are two major components to nursing support systems: technical support systems, for the distribution of supplies and medicines to patients and for communication among hospital personnel, and structural support systems, for the organization of nursing staff-RNs, LPNs, and aides-into a systematic, working assignment pattern. Four hospital studies that used different combinations of technical and structural support systems were compared for the amount of time registered nurses were able to spend on direct patient care activities. It was found that a structural support system based on the primary nursing model, coupled with a decentralized technical support system, maximized direct patient care time.

Hospital Communication Systems↗
PubMed1981

Developing a unit-of-use drug distribution system for the hospital emergency room.

The development of a unit-of-use drug distribution system for hospital emergency rooms (ERs) is described. Initially, each emergency room physician was requested to compile a list of medications for an emergency room formulary. These lists were edited into a single list and presented to the ER Committee for review. This committee was to recommend the least number of medications possible per therapeutic category. During this time, the support of the ER staff was gained, policies and procedures were established, and a unit dose cart system was chosen. The final step was to present the recommended emergency room drug formulary to the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee for their review and approval. The advantages of this system are: establishment of pharmacy drug control in the ER; reduction of ER inventory; greatly improved drug security; proper drug labeling; and automatic restocking of medications in the ER, resulting in time savings for ER personnel.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗
PubMed1986

Overview of an architectural approach to the development of the Johns Hopkins Hospital distributed clinical information system.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital has initiated an ambitious program to apply modern technologies to the development of a new, comprehensive clinical information system. Since many components of a system exist and since the JHH management is decentralized, a distributed, networked system is being built. To properly accomplish this task an architectural basis for strategic systems planning was developed. This paper reviews briefly the layered architectural approach.

Computer Communication Networks↗
PubMed1976

Operations analysis applied to a drug distribution system.

The application of operations analysis to a hospital drug distribution system is discussed. The existing system in a 360-bed community hospital was reviewed to identify areas for improvement; alternate approaches to achieve the identified benefits were explored. Improved manual procedures, which integrated pharmacy and nursing operations to a greater extent and resulted in fewer lost charges, were developed. Potential savings through computerization of 10 functions were identified. A rating system was developed to evaluate eight vendors of computerized pharmacy systems. The hospital as a whole undertook the following steps designed to assure the success of new systems: (1) determine the overall hospital benefits desired in order to prevent fragmentation by individual efforts; (2) establish a planning process; (3) establish a process for reviewing projects; (4) develop a plan for systems improvement; and (5) monitor the performance of the systems improvement program. The steps for successful operations analysis are summarized.

Computers↗
PubMed2000

Simulation of robotic courier deliveries in hospital distribution services.

Flexible automation in the form of robotic couriers holds the potential for decreasing operating costs while improving delivery performance in hospital delivery systems. This paper discusses the use of simulation modeling to analyze the costs, benefits, and performance tradeoffs related to the installation and use of a fleet of robotic couriers within hospital facilities. The results of this study enable a better understanding of the delivery and transportation requirements of hospitals. Specifically, we examine how a fleet of robotic couriers can meet the performance requirements of the system while maintaining cost efficiency. We show that for clinical laboratory and pharmaceutical deliveries a fleet of six robotic couriers can achieve significant performance gains in terms of turn-around time and delivery variability over the current system of three human couriers per shift or 13 FTEs. Specifically, the simulation results indicate that using robotic couriers to perform both clinical laboratory and pharmaceutical deliveries would result in a 34% decrease in turn-around time, and a 38% decrease in delivery variability. In addition, a break-even analysis indicated that a positive net present value occurs if nine or more FTEs are eliminated with a resulting ROI of 12%. This analysis demonstrates that simulation can be a valuable tool for examining health care distribution services and indicates that a robotic courier system may yield significant benefits over a traditional courier system in this application.

Computer Simulation↗
PubMed1978

Survey of clinical pharmaceutical services in Florida hospitals.

A survey of clinical pharmaceutical services in Florida hospitals is described. Questionnaires were mailed to the pharmacy departments of 210 hospitals containing 50 or more beds; 172 (82%) responded. Data were collected concerning the extent and types of clinical services provided; the reasons for not implementing the services were also obtained. Twenty (12%) hospitals employed a full-time clinical pharmacist. Inservice drug education, formalized drug information, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and patient medication histories were provided by 78%, 47%, 19% and 6% of the hospitals, respectively. Hospitals with a total or partial unit dose drug distribution system seemed more likely to provide clinical services than those with other types of distribution systems. Hospitals employing a clinical pharmacist were engaged in a wider range of clinical services and provided these services to a larger portion of their patient population. The reason most frequently cited for not implementing clinical services was inadequate staff.

Florida↗