Opening a new hospital requires years of planning. Everything from what equipment to purchase, to how the work flows, to computer integration, are all challenges that need to be considered. The list goes on and on. This list has gotten more complicated since the ACA (Affordable Care Act) was enacted. Not only do you have to select the right product technically, you have to take into account how this equipment will impact patient satisfaction, patient outcomes, and the bottom line.
Infection prevention is everybody’s job in all kinds of healthcare facilities. In fact, the scope of infection prevention concerns has expanded such that the acronym HAI no longer refers just to “hospital acquired infections,” but now to “healthcare associated infections”. These HAIs are not restricted just to hospitals, but also to skilled nursing facilities, rehab facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, clinics, and even physician offices.
Purchasing the most appropriate medical equipment solutions for any healthcare facility often presents challenges for administrators. However, when it comes to VA facilities, many purchasing managers are confronted with additional, particularly difficult issues, which require an elevated level of expertise with regard to federal regulations and contracting/procurement processes.
Healthcare and medical service providers across the nation are continuing to experience dramatic growth both in terms of the number of facilities, and in the quality of care being delivered.
Coupled with the increased emphasis being placed on developing Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs) to accompany this expansion, administrators in these organizations are frequently facing new types of capital equipment purchasing decisions that will impact their services for years to come.
Many times the hospital administrator and purchasing team are burdened with outfitting off-site clinics or other non-acute facilities. This is unknown territory to many of them.
The PATH Act refers to a law signed by President Obama called the "Protecting Americans from Tax Hike" Act of 2015. Also known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2016, the law was signed on Dec. 18, 2015, and calls for a two-year moratorium on the medical device excise tax from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2017. This moratorium will temporarily remove the 2.3 percent excise tax hike currently paid by manufacturers and importers of medical equipment sold in the United States.
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. According to the 7th edition of the Diabetes Atlas, more than 400 million people globally currently live with diabetes and by 2040 the number will grow to 642 million.
It is estimated by the American Academy of Ophthalmology that 80% of diabetics will eventually develop some level of diabetic retinopathy. Despite the fact that early detection and treatment can prevent up to 95% of vision loss cases, typically only half of patients with diabetes see an eye specialist for an annual retinal exam.1
Medical weight scales are one of those pieces of essential medical equipment which are so ubiquitous that they are often simply taken for granted in many clinical settings. Yet failure to pay close attention to their characteristics and properties can lead to everything from misdiagnoses to failure to detect symptoms altogether.
The focus for healthcare facilities is changing. HealthcareDesignMagazine.com surveyed professionals in Healthcare administration and found the important topics going into 2016 are the impact of design on staff satisfaction and on infection control and prevention. This change reflects the growing consensus in the industry of the need for hospitals to support their staff and the world’s need to take infection control more seriously.
The Veterans Health Administration operates under government oversight to serve one of the world's largest healthcare populations. The group currently operates 152 hospitals, 800 outpatient clinics, 126 nursing home units, and 35 domiciliaries.
These facilities serve a large population of veterans and service personnel, and many of them are over 60 years old. The need for new and updated VA facilities has prompted multiple medical construction projects.
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