Beginning in mid-2006, Cape Cod Hospital made a concerted effort to upgrade their Environment of Care (EC) program in preparation for the Joint Commission's continuous compliance requirements and unannounced survey policy. We interviewed three people with key roles in the effort to upgrade the hospital’s EC program to learn what approach they took and what advice they have for other hospitals.

Vivariums (animal laboratories) within hospitals, universities, laboratories and research institutions, present special heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) commissioning challenges. Not only do vivariums require stricter air quality standards and controls within their own spaces and sub spaces, they are usually housed within larger facilities, posing cross contamination issues.

Recently, several hospitals and nursing homes in New England have experienced norovirus outbreaks and a number of schools have closed for short periods in order to respond to outbreaks. EH&E has released a Client Advisory briefing on norovirus that provides important environmental health information and that is intended for distribution to building occupants and maintenance staff.