Author: CDipietro

HIPAA PHASE II On-Site Audits Imminent!

The Phase II Audits from the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) are right around the corner! The program, announced by Health & Human Services (HHS) in 2016, was created to take a “snapshot” of HIPAA compliance in the healthcare industry. HHS wants to know how well the guidelines are understood by covered entities and where […]

In-Office Laundry Management

How to handle in-office laundry seems to be a quandary of many medical/dental facilities. Some confusion comes from the array of adjectives used to describe items that need to be laundered: Is it dirty? Soiled? Contaminated? How laundry is defined will dictate how it can be safely handled for laundering. It’s important to know how […]

It’s Your Call July 2017

OSHA: Many offices have sharps containers mounted to the wall, on the floor, or on the counter. What is the best location for a safe sharps disposal container to be located?   Accessibility is one of the criteria that should be considered before deciding on the general location and placement. Sharps containers should be within […]

OSAP Diversifies Board Strength and Acumen

July 6, 2017 (ATLANTA, GA) — The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP), a community of clinicians, educators, consultants, researchers and industry representatives who advocate for safe and infection-free delivery of oral healthcare, has announced the members of the 2017-2018 OSAP Board of Directors and the 2017-2018 OSAP Foundation Board of Directors. The new […]

Bloodborne Pathogen Exposures in Healthcare

The prevalence of bloodborne pathogen exposure events in healthcare remains a huge concern as emphasized by the annual reports of sharps related injuries in health care from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The topic is reviewed in our trainings, officer webinars and inserted in the TMC OSHA manuals. An effective Exposure Control Plan […]

International Ransomware Campaign

In May, Great Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) was hit by a large-scale cyber-attack. Some hospitals and practices across England and Scotland were unable to access patient data, after their computers were locked by a ransomware attack demanding payment in virtual currency, Bitcoin. However, there was no evidence that patient data had been compromised. The […]

Emergency Action Plan (EAP): Evacuation Maps

(Updated June 2019) Emergency Action Plan (EAP): Evacuation Maps. You see them, but do you need them? OSHA does not require facilities to have a printed map for evacuation in the case of an emergency; but other governmental agencies may. Check with your insurance carrier, fire marshal and state and local agencies that may require […]

It’s Your Call June 2017

OSHA: HOT items Are there any hot surfaces or pieces of equipment in your office? If so, how do you warn employees of the potential hazard? The OSHA regulation 1910.145(d)(4) states: Caution signs should have the standard, yellow, background color; and the panel, black with yellow letters. Any letters used against the yellow background shall […]

OSHA and Electrical Violations

Any electrical violation will always be considered serious and carry a fine. There are two reasons why OSHA will always pay attention to electrical safety during inspections: Electrical shock can be fatal. According to OSHA about five workers are electrocuted each week. Electrical fires burn fast. A study by the U.S. Fire Administration found electrical malfunction […]

No More Bugs – Part 1

Infection Control – Back to Basics! Infection prevention and control is more than the sum of a task list, appropriate equipment, and written policies and procedures. They are all important elements and the foundation of a strong infection control program and a culture of safety for every healthcare environment. From leader to volunteers, everyone must […]