(Kitco News) — One of the next key events for gold and other markets is a meeting of European officials Thursday to discuss the Greek debt crisis, as well as contagion risks to other European economies like Italy and Spain, says MKS Finance. “It seems though unlikely that any real resolution can be found to this issue on this occasion,” MKS says. Analysts cite comments from German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying further steps will be necessary and not one spectacular event will solve the problem. MKS says it foresees increased demand for gold from risk-averse European investors, which may help the metal even if the dollar strengthens.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Market Nuggets: RBC’s Gero: Gold Steadies As Buying Emerges On Sell-Off

(Kitco News) — Gold continues to find buyers after sell-offs, allowing the market to steady as it awaits resolution of debt-ceiling talks in the U.S. and euro-zone debt talks, says George Gero, vice president of RBC Capital Markets Global Futures. August gold fought its way back above $1,600 after a late-Tuesday correction, peaking at $1,600.80 an ounce. As of 1:38 p.m. EDT, the contract was $1.20 lower at $1,599.90 but well up from its $1,581.10 low. Gero notes open interest has been strong lately. The most-recent Comex gold open-interest data showed outstanding positions of 542,342, compared to 494,169 as of the start of the month.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Market Nuggets: FuturePath’s Lesh: Comex Gold Softer On Signs Of Progress Toward U.S. Debt Deal

(Kitco News) — Comex gold is retaining a softer tone after falling in screen trading following the pit close Tuesday when President Obama cited progress in U.S. budget and debt-ceiling talks and supported a so-called “Gang of Six” plan in the Senate. Previously, gold ran up to a record high “on anticipation of the worst in terms of no debt deal in the U.S. and an unravelling of any debt deals in Europe,” says Frank Lesh, broker and analyst with FuturePath Trading. “We fell off pretty hard yesterday right as President Obama mentioned progress was being made and he thought there would be a solution.” This prompted some long liquidation, Lesh reports. As of 9:03 a.m. EDT, Comex August gold was $18.30, or 1.1%, lower at $1,582.80 an ounce. Lesh put initial support around $1,575. Below this, he listed old highs in the upper $1,550s that failed as resistance and turned into support.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Market Nuggets: IAI: Primary Global Aluminum Output Falls In June But Up From Year Ago

(Kitco News) — Primary global aluminium production was 2.098 million metric tons in June, the International Aluminum Institute reports. This is down from 2.167 million tons in May but up from 1.998 million in June of 2010, the IAI says. In June, output fell in all regions. However, June daily global aluminum output of 69,900 tons was steady with May and up from 66,600 in June 2010.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Market Nuggets: Barclays: Gold ETP Holdings Slip From Record High; Investment Still ‘Stable’

(Kitco News) — Holdings in gold-backed exchange-traded products eased from their record highs Tuesday, although demand overall appears “stable” for now, say analysts with Barclays Capital. As of Monday, global ETP holdings stood at a record 2,170.9 tons. Then they fell 2.5 metric tons Tuesday, the bank reports. “However, the bulk of interest remains relatively stable, and as we have highlighted previously, given we are in a seasonally weak period for demand, a decline in investor appetite is likely to be met with temporary steeper corrections,” Barclays says. “But the external environment remains supportive for gold, and barring short-terms corrections, we would expect prices to test fresh highs. As our asset-allocation analysts note, swift and targeted policy actions by European policymakers are needed but there is little sign it is immediately forthcoming and the upcoming 21 July EU heads of state summit appears now to be the key event to watch over the next few days.” Meanwhile, Barclays reports that silver ETP holdings rose by 193 tons Tuesday to their highest level since May 24.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Market Nuggets: Gold, Silver Back Down, But Commerzbank ‘Optimistic On a Long-Term Horizon’

(Kitco News) — Gold and silver have pulled back from their recent peaks, but Commerzbank looks for further gains in the longer term. “Even if we assume further price rises for precious metals in the long term, a boom is not a one-way street and the optimism on gold and silver especially was excessive recently in our view,” Commerzbank says. “We are optimistic on a long-term horizon, since silver ETFs also enjoy increasing popularity, with the largest silver ETF, iShares Silver Trust, registering 191 tons of inflows yesterday alone. ETF holders often prove to be long-term-oriented investors.” Meanwhile, the SPDR Gold Trust reported outflows of 3.3 metric tons Tuesday, which the bank attributes to some uncertainty on sustaining $1,600-an-ounce gold. In the medium to long term, support for gold will come from production problems that curb the expansion of supply, in addition to persisting sovereign-debt issues, Commerzbank says. “In South Africa, for example, pay negotiations between the National Union of Mineworkers and gold mine operators have been interrupted without result. Despite a higher offer from the employers, the union is sticking to its pay demand of 14%.”

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Market Nuggets: CME Group: E-Micro Gold Averaged 2,200 Contracts Per Day Last Week

(Kitco News) — The average daily volume of CME Group’s still-young E-micro gold futures last week was around 2,200 contracts, says Patricia Cauley, director, metals products, with CME Group. The 10-ounce contract, launched last fall, allows small speculators to participate in the gold market with smaller margin requirements than would be required to trade the full 100-ounce Comex contract. The volume has picked up from the previously reported average of 374 contracts per day from the E-micro launch on Oct. 4 through Dec. 31. Cauley spoke late Tuesday during a Webcast by Lind-Waldock and CME Group on the impact of new Frank-Dodd Wall Street Reform legislation that banned over-the-counter metals trading for smaller retail investors as of last week.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Market Nuggets: Lind-Waldock: New Rules May End Up Adding To CME Metals Liquidity

(Kitco News) — New Frank-Dodd Wall Street Reform legislation that banned over-the-counter metals trading by small speculators as of last week could mean increased liquidity for futures traded on exchanges, says Jim Comiskey, Lind Plus senior market strategist. He spoke late Tuesday during a Webcast by Lind-Waldock and CME Group on the impact of new rules for metals traders. The intent of the rules is to move unregulated trading to exchanges that are regulated, he explains. This could end up adding even liquidity and depth to futures trading on CME Group, he says. If so, this could mean even tighter spreads—allowing traders to enter and exit markets at the price points they intend—and thereby allow even more “orderly” markets, Comiskey explains.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

HAMILTON, Bermuda, Jul 20, 2011 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) –
Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. (“CME”)


/quotes/zigman/81511/quotes/nls/cetv CETV
+6.98%



(prague stock exchange:CETV) announced today that it will release its second quarter 2011 financial results before U.S. market hours on Wednesday, July 27, 2011.

CME will also host a teleconference and video webcast to discuss its second quarter 2011 results on Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 9 a.m. New York time (2 p.m. London and 3 p.m. Prague time). The video webcast and teleconference will refer to presentation slides which will be available on CME’s website at
www.cetv-net.com prior to the call.

To access the teleconference, U.S. and international callers may dial +1 785-424-1051 ten minutes prior to the start time and reference passcode 7CETVQ2. The conference call will be video webcasted live via
www.cetv-net.com .

The video webcast and a digital audio replay in MP3 format will be available for two weeks following the call at
www.cetv-net.com .

CME is a vertically integrated media company operating leading broadcast, content and new media businesses in six Central and Eastern European countries with an aggregate population of approximately 50 million people. CME’s television stations are located in Bulgaria (bTV, bTV Cinema, bTV Comedy, bTV Action and Ring.bg), Croatia (Nova TV, Doma and Nova World), the Czech Republic (TV Nova, Nova Cinema, Nova Sport and MTV Czech), Romania (PRO TV, PRO TV International, Acasa, PRO Cinema, PRO TV Chisinau, Sport.ro and MTV Romania), the Slovak Republic (TV Markiza and Doma) and Slovenia (POP TV, Kanal A and POP Brio). CME is traded on the NASDAQ and the Prague Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “CETV”.

This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire,
www.globenewswire.com

SOURCE: Central European Media Enterprises Ltd.

        CONTACT:  Romana Wyllie
        Vice President Corporate Communications
        Central European Media Enterprises
        +420242465525
        romana.wyllie@cme-net.com

(C) Copyright 2010 GlobeNewswire, Inc. All rights reserved.

/quotes/zigman/81511/quotes/nls/cetv

Add CETV to portfolio

CETV

]]> http://medical-programs.com/2011/07/central-european-media-enterprises-announces-second-quarter-2011-earnings/feed/ 0 http://medical-programs.com/2011/07/aspect-enterprise-solutions-presents-webcast-series-for-trading-and-operations-sys/ http://medical-programs.com/2011/07/aspect-enterprise-solutions-presents-webcast-series-for-trading-and-operations-sys/#comments Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:22:05 +0000 admin http://medical-programs.com/2011/07/aspect-enterprise-solutions-presents-webcast-series-for-trading-and-operations-sys/  

- Focusing on Efficiently Leveraging Important Commodities Pricing Data and News

Aspect Enterprise Solutions announces the next in its series of popular E-Learning Webcasts for commodity trading professionals. This series of free Webcasts is designed to show traders how to reduce market data costs while improving access and the ability to leverage vast amounts of aggregated data in the most efficient way to make confident trading decisions.

Commodities traders, risk managers and back-office professionals in all industries, including oil, gas, biofuels, agriculture and metals are invited to register for the next Webcast, which takes place on Thursday, July 21 by visiting the registration page at this link https://aspectenterprise-events.webex.com/aspectenterprise-events/onstage/g.php?t=ad=846124963

In this 45-minute Web session, Aspect will examine how to use the latest charting and historical pricing tools to unlock the value contained in large volumes of data to identify seasonality trends and price correlations and support trading decisions. The Webcast will include a live demonstration of how to use up to 20 years of historical spot pricing from leading oil market sources like Platts, a division of McGraw Hill, and NYMEX which delivers the WTI Crude Oil benchmark from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). The Webcast will also feature an in-depth look at other important trading functionality and analytical tools, and provide use-case scenarios to demonstrate valuable benefits.

Brigette Gebhard, vice president of marketing at Aspect says, “These Webcasts are a great way for our customers to keep up to speed with new features and functionality found in our online trader portal, AspectDSC. They also provide a good preview of the system for prospective customers to see the benefits first hand and ask questions on the spot.”

Recordings for previous Webcasts are available here http://www.aspectenterprise.com/events_and_news/events.php. Free trials are also available on the Aspect Website at www.aspectenterprise.com.

Previous Webcasts feature real-time data and tools, how to access a wide range of data and tool sets on mobile devices like iPad, BlackBerry, Android and other windows-enabled devices; and also how to easily configure devices and desktops with only the information needed through the latest technology in Cloud computing. There is also an in-depth look at the real-time data and charting functions available via the platform and how to use these to identify potential risks and profitable opportunities.

About Aspect Enterprise Solutions
Aspect provides Web-based enterprise class market information, trade and decision support tools for commodities professionals. Its solutions are trusted by over 500 firms in 90 countries, and go live quicker, fit more exactly and deliver greater ROI at far less cost than older vendor technologies. Aspect Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications are delivered in the Cloud and include AspectCTRM which is recognized in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant of ETRM Systems. It’s a full-featured commodity trading and risk management suite available in 3 editions that expand to the needs and budgets or its clients: Lite, Standard and Enterprise. AspectDSC is its decision support center delivering oil, metals and agricultural market news, prices, and analytical tools on desktop and mobile devices including Apple® iPhone® and iPad®, BlackBerry®, Android, and other others. AspectPM is the Price Manager solution which provides consolidation and support for the global oil price forecasting process and forward curve management.

For more information visit www.aspectenterprise.com

Aspect Enterprise Solutions
Jane Pryce-Jones
jpryce-jones@aspectenterprise.com
+44 (0)20 7632 0170

Senior citizens most at risk of infections because they are most frequent patients

By Bara Vaida, Kaiser Health News

July 14, 2011 – Just as airline pilots are required to use safety checklists before taking off, so should medical
facilities who are treating people on an outpatient basis, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday.

The CDC issued a new set of

safety checklist guidelines to reduce outpatient infections because it has found that multiple facilities arent adhering to standard
infection prevention practices.

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Patients deserve the same levels of protection in a hospital or any other health care setting, said Michael Bell,
deputy director of the CDCs division of health care quality promotion.

Repeated outbreaks resulting from unsafe practices, along with
breaches of infection control noted in ambulatory surgical centers during inspections by the (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
indicate the need for better infection prevention.

The CDC estimates that more than 2 million hospital-acquired infections occur in U.S. hospitals each year, and as many as
99,000 patients who get these infections die as a result. That has spurred hospitals to adopt safety checklists for their patients, through
programs such as the
Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program, a joint venture led by several non-profit groups and hospitals to improve patient safety, and the
World Health Organizations

surgical safety list.

Now the CDC has a recommended checklist for outpatients facilities such as non-hospital based clinics, physician offices,
urgent care centers, outpatient surgical centers, public health clinics, imaging centers, oncology clinics, as well as hospital-based
outpatient departments. The agency said that more than 75 percent of all operations are performed in these outpatient centers.

Press Release from CDC (July 13, 2011)

CDC Releases Infection Prevention Guide to Promote Safe Outpatient Care

Guide details minimum expectations for safe care, recommends every practice identify an infection prevention leader

Medical care in outpatient settings has surged in recent years, yet in many cases, adherence to standard infection
prevention practices in outpatient settings is lacking. To protect patients and help educate clinicians about minimum expectations of safe
care, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention today released a new, concise guide and checklist specifically for health care providers in outpatient care settings such
as endoscopy clinics, surgery centers, primary care offices, and pain management clinics.

“Patients deserve the same basic levels of protection in a hospital or any other health care setting,” said
Michael Bell,
M.D., deputy director of CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion. “Failure to follow standard precautions, such as correct
injection practices, cannot be tolerated. Repeated outbreaks resulting from unsafe practices, along with breaches of infection control noted
in ambulatory surgical centers during inspections by the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid

, indicate the need for better infection
prevention across our entire health care system, including outpatient settings.”

The Guide to Infection Prevention for Outpatient Settings: Minimum Expectations for Safe Care is based on
existing, evidence-based CDC guidelines that apply to a wide range of health care facilities but are mostly used by hospitals. The
easy-to-reference guide is accompanied by an Infection Prevention Checklist for Outpatient Settings and supporting materials including a new,
no-cost, certified continuing medical education course titled
Unsafe Injection
Practices: Outbreaks, Incidents, and Root Causes

and offered on Medscape.org for clinicians in
all health care settings. The video course was developed in collaboration with the Safe Injection Practices Coalition, a partnership of health
care-related organizations formed to promote safe injection practices in all U.S. health care settings.

Among other important recommendations, the guide states that all outpatient practices should ensure that at least one
individual with specific training in infection control is on staff or regularly available. This individual should be involved in developing a
written infection control policy and have regular communication with health care providers to address specific issues or concerns.

The guide and supporting materials can be used for internal assessment within a facility or practice. They complement
ongoing work by CDC and CMS to integrate CDC guidelines into CMS surveys used during inspections of outpatient settings including ambulatory
surgery centers.

Outpatient settings, facilities where patients do not stay overnight, include non-hospital based clinics and physician
offices, urgent care centers, outpatient surgical centers, public health clinics, imaging centers, oncology clinics, outpatient behavioral
health and substance abuse clinics, physical therapy and rehabilitation centers, as well as hospital-based outpatient departments and clinics.

More than three-quarters of all operations in the United States are performed at outpatient facilities. In addition,
between 1995 and 2007, the average person made three visits each year to physician offices. By 2007, the total number of physician office
visits approached 1 billion. Vulnerable patient populations make up a significant portion of health care users, and it is critical that care
be provided under conditions that minimize the risk of health care-associated infections (HAIs).

These new materials reinforce that health care personnel should always:

     ? Follow procedures for the safe handling of potentially contaminated medical equipment
     ? Ensure safe medical injection practices are followed

Outpatient facilities and practices should:

     ? Develop and maintain infection prevention and occupational health programs

     ? Ensure that at least one individual with training in infection control is employed by or regularly available to
the facility. This person should be responsible for overseeing the facility’s infection prevention program

     ? Develop written infection-prevention policies and procedures appropriate for the services provided by the facility
and based upon evidence-based guidelines, regulations, or standards

     ? Provide job- or task-specific infection prevention education and training to all health care personnel

     ? Make sure sufficient and appropriate supplies necessary for adherence to standard precautions are available

     ? Perform regular audits and competency evaluations of staff’s adherence to infection prevention practices

     ? Utilize CDC’s infection prevention checklist for outpatient settings to assess infection control practices

     ? Adhere to local, state, and federal requirements regarding HAI surveillance, reportable diseases, and outbreak
reporting

To access the guide, checklist, and supporting materials including the CME course, CDC and external commentary about the
guide, clinician and patient education materials, a CDC Safe Surgery feature, and additional information, please visit

http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/settings/outpatient/outpatient-settings.html.

     

Outpatient Care Checklist: Personnel and Patient-care Observations

The

Infection Prevention Checklist for Outpatient Settings: Minimum Expectations for Safe Care
[PDF 538 KB] is a companion to the

Guide to Infection Prevention for Outpatient Settings: Minimum Expectations for
Safe Care. The checklist should be used:

1. To ensure that the facility has appropriate
   infection prevention policies and procedures in place and supplies to allow healthcare personnel to provide safe care.

2. To systematically assess personnel adherence to
   correct infection prevention practices.
   (Assessment of adherence should be conducted by direct observation of healthcare personnel during the performance of their duties.)

Facilities using this checklist
should identify all procedures performed in their ambulatory setting and refer to appropriate sections to conduct their evaluation. Certain
sections may not apply (e.g., some settings may not perform sterilization or high-level disinfection).

If the answer to any of the listed
questions is No, efforts should be made to correct the practice, appropriately educate healthcare personnel (if applicable), and
determine why the correct practice was not being performed. Consideration should also be made for determining the risk posed to patients by
the deficient practice.

Certain infection control lapses
(e.g., re-use of syringes on more than one patient or to access a medication container that is used for subsequent patients; re-use of
lancets) can result in bloodborne pathogen transmission and should be halted immediately. Identification of such lapses warrants immediate
consultation with the state or local health department and appropriate notification and testing of potentially affected patients.

Infection
Prevention Checklist
I. Administrative Policies and Facility Practices

3. Occupational Health

Practice Performed

If answer is No, document plan for remediation

1. HCP are trained on the OSHA bloodborne pathogen standard upon hire and at least annually

Yes No

2. The facility maintains a log of needlesticks, sharps injuries, and other employee
   exposure events

Yes No

3. Following an exposure event, post-exposure evaluation and follow-up, including
   prophylaxis as appropriate, are available at no cost to employee and are supervised by a licensed healthcare professional

Yes No

4. Hepatitis B vaccination is available at no cost to all employees who are at risk of
   occupational exposure

Yes No

5. Post-vaccination screening for protective levels of hepatitis B surface antibody is
   conducted after third vaccine dose is administered

Yes No

6. All HCP are offered annual influenza vaccination at no cost

Yes No

7. All HCP who have potential for exposure to tuberculosis (TB) are screened for TB upon
   hire and annually (if negative)

Yes No

8. The facility has a respiratory protection program that details required worksite-specific
   procedures and elements for required respirator use

Yes No

9. Respiratory fit testing is provided at least annually to appropriate HCP

Yes No

10. Facility has written protocols for managing/preventing job-related and community-acquired
    infections or important exposures in HCP, including notification of appropriate Infection Prevention and Occupational Health
    personnel when applicable

Yes No

 
For
additional guidance on occupational health recommendations consult the following resource(s):

     


Guideline for Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel

[PDF - 285 KB]

     


Immunization of HealthCare Personnel

     


Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens and
Needlestick Prevention Standards

5. Hand Hygiene

Practice Performed

If answer is No, document plan for remediation

1. The facility provides supplies necessary for adherence to hand hygiene (e.g., soap,
   water, paper towels, alcohol-based hand rub) and ensures they are readily accessible to HCP in patient care areas

Yes No

2. HCP are educated regarding appropriate indications for hand washing with soap and water
   versus hand rubbing with alcohol-based hand rub
   (Note: Soap and water should be used when bare hands are visibly soiled (e.g., blood,
   body fluids) or after caring for a patient with known or suspected infectious diarrhea (e.g., Clostridium difficile or norovirus).
   In all other situations, alcohol-based hand rub may be used.)

Yes No

3. The facility periodically monitors and records adherence to hand hygiene and provides
   feedback to personnel regarding their performance

Examples of

tools used to record adherence to hand hygiene

Yes No

 
For
additional guidance on hand hygiene and resources for training and measurement of adherence, consult the following resource(s).

     


Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings

[PDF - 298 KB]

     

Hand
Hygiene in Healthcare Settings

     
List of

tools that can be used to measure adherence to hand hygiene

6. Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE)

Practice Performed

If answer is No, document plan for remediation

1. The facility has sufficient and appropriate PPE available and readily accessible to HCP

Yes No

2. HCP receive training on proper selection and use of PPE

Yes No

 
For
additional guidance on personal protective equipment consult the following resource(s):

     


2007 Guidelines for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings

7. Injection Safety

Practice Performed

If answer is No, document plan for remediation

1. Medication purchasing decisions at the facility reflect selection of vial sizes that most
   appropriately fit the procedure needs of the facility and limit need for sharing of multi-dose vials

Yes No

2. Injections are required to be prepared using aseptic technique in a clean area free from
   contamination or contact with blood, body fluids or contaminated equipment

Yes No

3. Facility has policies and procedures to track HCP access to controlled substances to
   prevent narcotics theft/diversion

Yes No

 
For
additional guidance on injection safety consult the following resource(s):

     


2007 Guidelines for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings

     

CDC’s Injection
Safety Website

     


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding Safe Practices for Medical Injections

     


CDC training video and related Safe Injection Practices Campaign materials

8. Respiratory
Hygiene/Cough Etiquette

Practice Performed

If answer is No, document plan for remediation

1. The facility has policies and procedures to contain respiratory secretions in persons who
   have signs and symptoms of a respiratory infection, beginning at point of entry to the facility and continuing through the
   duration of the visit. Policies include:

Yes No

1. Posting signs at entrances (with instructions to patients with symptoms of respiratory
   infection to cover their mouths/noses when coughing or sneezing, use and dispose of tissues, and perform hand hygiene after hands
   have been in contact with respiratory secretions.)

Yes No

2. Providing tissues and no-touch receptacles for disposal of tissues

Yes No

3. Providing resources for performing hand hygiene in or near waiting areas

Yes No

4. Offering facemasks to coughing patients and other symptomatic persons upon entry to the
   facility

Yes No

5. Providing space and encouraging persons with symptoms of respiratory infections to sit as
   far away from others as possible. If available, facilities may wish to place these patients in a separate area while waiting for
   care

Yes No

2. The facility educates HCP on the importance of infection prevention measures to contain
   respiratory secretions to prevent the spread of respiratory pathogens when examining and caring for patients with signs and
   symptoms of a respiratory infection.

Yes No

 
For
additional guidance on respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette consult the following resource(s):

     


2007 Guidelines for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings

     


Recommendations for preventing the spread of influenza

9. Environmental
Cleaning

Practice Performed

If answer is No, document plan for remediation

1. Facility has written policies and procedures for routine cleaning and disinfection of
   environmental services, including identification of responsible personnel

Yes No

2. Environmental services staff receive job-specific training and competency validation at
   hire and when procedures/policies change

Yes No

3. Training and equipment are available to ensure that HCP wear appropriate PPE to preclude
   exposure to infectious agents or chemicals (PPE can include gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection)

Yes No

4. Cleaning procedures are periodically monitored and assessed to ensure that they are
   consistently and correctly performed

Yes No

5. The facility has a policy/procedure for decontamination of spills of blood or other body
   fluids

Yes No

 
For
additional guidance on environmental cleaning consult the following resource(s):

     


Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities

[PDF - 285 KB]

10. Reprocessing of
Reusable Instruments and Devices

Practice Performed

If answer is No, document plan for remediation

1. Facility has policies and procedures to ensure that reusable medical devices are cleaned
   and reprocessed appropriately prior to use on another patient (Note: This includes clear delineation of responsibility among HCP.)

Yes No

2. Policies, procedures, and manufacturer reprocessing instructions for reusable medical
   devices used in the facility are available in the reprocessing area(s)

Yes No

3. HCP responsible for reprocessing reusable medical devices are appropriately trained and
   competencies are regularly documented (at least annually and when new equipment is introduced)

Yes No

4. Training and equipment are available to ensure that HCP wear appropriate PPE to prevent
   exposure to infectious agents or chemicals (PPE can include gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection). (Note: The exact type of
   PPE depends on infectious or chemical agent and anticipated type of exposure.)

Yes No

 
The above
basic information allows for a general assessment of policies and procedures related to reprocessing of reusable medical devices.
Ambulatory facilities that are providing on-site sterilization or high-level disinfection of reusable medical equipment should refer
to the more detailed checklists related to sterilization and high-level disinfection in separate sections of this document devoted to
those issues.

Critical items (e.g., surgical instruments) are objects
that enter sterile tissue or the vascular system and must be sterile prior to use (see Sterilization Section).

Semi-critical items (e.g. , endoscopes for upper endoscopy and colonoscopy,
vaginal probes) are objects that contact mucous membranes or non-intact skin and require, at a minimum, high-level disinfection prior
to reuse (see High-level Disinfection Section).

Non-critical items (e.g., blood pressure cuffs) are objects that may come in
contact with intact skin but not mucous membranes and should undergo cleaning and low- or intermediate-level disinfection depending on
the nature and degree of contamination.

Single-use devices (SUDs) are labeled by the manufacturer for a single use
and do not have reprocessing instructions. They may not be reprocessed for reuse except by entities which have complied with FDA
regulatory requirements and have received FDA clearance to reprocess specific SUDs.

Note: Pre-cleaning must always be performed prior to sterilization and/or
disinfection

For additional guidance on reprocessing of medical devices consult the
manufacturer instructions for the device and the following resource(s):

     


Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities

     


FDA regulations on reprocessing of single-use medical devices

11. Sterilization of
Reusable Instruments and Devices

Practice Performed

If answer is No, document plan for remediation

1. All reusable critical instruments and devices are sterilized prior to reuse

Yes No

2. Routine maintenance for sterilization equipment is performed according to manufacturer
   instruction (confirm maintenance records are available)

Yes No

3. Policies and procedures are in place outlining facility response (i.e., recall of device
   and risk assessment) in the event of a reprocessing error/failure.

Yes No

 
For
additional guidance on sterilization of medical devices consult the manufacturer instructions for the device and the following
resource(s):

     


Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities

12. High-Level
Disinfection of Reusable Instruments and Devices

Practice Performed

If answer is No, document plan for remediation

1. All reusable semi-critical items receive at least high-level disinfection prior to reuse

Yes No

2. The facility has a system in place to identify which instrument (e.g., endoscope) was
   used on a patient via a log for each procedure

Yes No

3. Routine maintenance for high-level disinfection equipment is performed according to
   manufacturer instruction; confirm maintenance records are available

Yes No

 
For
additional guidance on reprocessing of high-level disinfection devices consult the manufacturers instructions for the device and the
following resource(s):

     


Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities

Some
of this
information is reprinted from

kaiserhealthnews.org with permission from the Henry J.
Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser
Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up
for email delivery. Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All
rights reserved.

New Tumour Board is initiated to advance treatment for Oncology patients
Dubai, UAE, 11 July 2011. Welcare HospitalWelcare Hospital launched a multidisciplinary Tumour Board this July. With the aim of supporting and increasing the quality of treatment received by Oncology patients, the Board will facilitate discussion between cross-discipline specialists in order to deliver the best possible course of treatment for each patient.