St. Elizabeth's Hospital has been without running water since Sept. 26, when a bacteria that can cause Legionnaires' disease was found in the water system, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from the District of Columbia, Iowa, and Virginia.
- District of Columbia: Psychiatric hospital St. Elizabeth's Hospital should have running water by Friday. The hospital shut off the water on Sept. 26, when a bacteria that can cause Legionnaires' disease was found in the water system. Patients and staff have been relying on bottle water and body wash spray since the water was shut off (AP/WJLA, 10/7).
- Iowa: A group of sixth grade students from St. Mary's School in Humboldt is collecting donations to create care packages for children in local hospitals. Through the project, students collect items such stuffed animals, lip balm, mints, and coloring books. The bags are packed for patients ages three to 18 years old. Sixth grade teacher Katie Phillips started the nonprofit Brave Bags with her sixth-grade class in 2016 because she "wanted the kids in the hospital to be reminded that people are thinking of them and wanting them to continue to be brave" (Muller, KCCI, 10/6).
- Virginia: Virginia Commonwealth University has received a $50 million grant to oversee a research consortium that will study the impact of mild traumatic brain injuries on veterans and servicemembers. With the grant, the Long-term Impact of Military-relevant Brain Injury Consortium, which includes universities, hospitals, and clinics, will analyze participant data collected by the Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consoritum, which was formed in 2012 to research PTSD and brain injuries. The consortium will also rollout prospective treatments, such as immersive virtual reality (Drees, Becker's Hospital Review, 10/4).