The outbreak has sickened 72 people in five states and has resulted in eight hospitalizations, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from Georgia, New York, and Texas.
- Georgia: CDC last week said it is investigating the source of an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 72 people in Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia. As of April 4, eight individuals who were sickened in connection with the outbreak have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. CDC, FDA, and the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service will continue to investigate the source of the outbreak (Jagadeesh Babu, Reuters, 4/5; Brice-Saddler, Washington Post, 4/5).
- New York: State judge Rolf Thorsen last week ruled that Rockland County cannot ban unvaccinated minors from accessing public spaces amid a measles outbreak that has affected 167 residents. The ruling comes ten days after the county barred minors who had not received the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine from public places, including schools, until the end of the county's emergency declaration tied to the outbreak or until they received the vaccine. Thorsen said the ruling means affected "[c]hildren are … permitted to return to their respective schools forthwith and otherwise to assemble in public places" (Budryk, The Hill, 4/7).
- Texas: Brownwood Regional Medical Center just named Jace Jones as its new CEO, effective Monday. Jones previously served as COO of Abilene Regional Medical Center and as assistant administrator of DeTar Health Care System (Vaidya, Becker's Hospital Review, 4/5).
From outbreaks to hurricanes: How can hospitals prepare for disasters?
Hospitals must be prepared for myriad disasters that can stress health care systems to the breaking point and disrupt delivery of vital health care services.
Advisory Board has compiled step-by-step procedures for various threats your facility may encounter—though we hope you'll never need to use them.