Oxydiff provides a highly effective no rinse no wipe disinfection of hard surfaces
CategoriesInfection Prevention

Preventing Hospital Acquired Infections

Environmental Disinfection To Prevent Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI’s)

Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI’s) are a common cause of death in healthcare facilities and represent a significant cost burden. A recent study found that influenza-associated hospitalization affected 156,097 people in Germany. However, many of these infections could be prevented by proper cleaning and disinfection of the environments in which they occur.  Hospitals are challenged with having sick patients that come in from the community with transmittable diseases that can often put other patients at risk.  In other cases like patients who develop Clostridium Difficile infections while in the hospital can also transmit this very difficult to kill, spore forming bacteria, to nurses, objects, or surfaces where the spores can survive for months.  For this reason a focus on environmental disinfection of patient care areas and surgical suites is absolutely critical.

Top Stubborn Pathogens That Cause Hospital Acquired Infections

Several resistant organisms cause significant problems in healthcare facilities. The CDC has identified the following as the most common multidrug-resistant healthcare-associated pathogens:

  • MRSA
  • Clostridium deficile
  • CRE
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Norovirus

What Are The 5 Common Challenges Facing Healthcare Facilities In Environmental Disinfection?

Unfavorable Structural Design

Two central issues facing healthcare facilities are the design of their physical plant and the limitations that these restrictions imposed on the disinfection process. Structurally, healthcare facilities are often built with materials that inhibit disinfection. The most common example is the glazed tile, often used in hospitals to protect against infection. This surface is difficult to disinfect and can also harbor organisms.

Overcrowded Hospital Units

Another challenge facing healthcare facilities is the overcrowding of patients. This increases the number of patients in beds, chairs, and others, leading to further contact with surfaces in the patient’s environment. It also leads to more cross-contamination of surfaces as staff must frequently change linens or clean bedding on these beds.

Poor Toilet Sanitation

Toilets present a significant challenge because of poor sanitation and maintenance. The CDC reports a significant number of inpatient facilities have poorly sanitized toilets. Contamination of these surfaces can be spread between patients and other areas in the facility.

Misuse Of Handwash Sinks

Handwashing stations are in important tool in fighting infections and cross contamination.  However they can also be are a central focus of environmental contamination in healthcare facilities. There can be a significant amount of bacterial contamination that occurs on these sinks. Therefore, cross-contamination is risky between areas without proper cleaning and disinfection.

Hospital Waste Management

Finally, hospital waste management presents particular risks to environmental hygiene. Healthcare facilities dispose of their used items in many ways. The inappropriate handling of these items can lead to toxic pathogens, which may be dangerous to patients.

What Are The CDC Guidelines For Hospital Disinfection?

Infection control in hospitals is critical to preventing organisms from infecting patients. This includes the disinfection of surfaces touched by the hands or clothing of healthcare personnel, patients, or visitors to prevent disease transmission.

There are guidelines developed by the federal government and the CDC which require hospitals to disinfect their patient rooms after each day. The guidelines state that room surfaces, such as floors, walls, and toilets, should be disinfected with a recommended detergent solution every 24 hours. Additionally, healthcare facilities should perform surface disinfection of rooms where patients change linens or bedding frequently.

How Do You Perform Disinfection?

The CDC guidelines recommend that healthcare facilities disinfect their patient rooms using a multi‐component, antimicrobial system to remove bacteria resistant to antibiotics that can cause infection. The recommended EPA approved product for these surfaces is Oxydiff.

Why Use Oxydiff?

The chemical solution is a broad-spectrum disinfection EPA approved to kill C. diff spores in 2 minutes and an extremely wide range of other organisms, including viruses, fungi, and molds. The solution is also non-corrosive and is rinse-free after application. It allows for efficient disinfection because it is easy to apply with a sprayer, mop, or cloth. It costs about the same as other disinfectants but may be cheaper because its ease of application reduces personnel labor time.

Why Is Environmental Disinfection Critical To The Success Of Hospital Acquired Infections Prevention?

Environmental disinfection is critical to the success of Hospital Acquired Infections prevention because it reduces the overall cross-contamination within a given facility and thereby helps prevent the transmission of infectious organisms in healthcare facilities. In addition, it is also critical because it contributes to a cleaner environment and better patient health outcomes.

Hospital Acquired Infections Prevention Conclusion

Hospital Acquired infections are costly to hospitals and healthcare systems because they negatively impact patient care, patient satisfaction, staff turnover, and device failure rates. Hospitals must prioritize environmental disinfection in light of rising costs and potential loss associated with HAIs.

CategoriesInfection Prevention

Fighting Hospital Acquired Infections

Fighting Hospital Acquired Infections

Hospitals can sometimes be a breeding ground for infections, according to a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which revealed that every year close to 2 million Americans develop hospital acquired infections that further compromises their health. These infections, the study notes, are born of viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens, and they can give way to surgical site infections (SSIs), bloodstream infections (BSIs), urinary tract infections (UTIs), and pneumonia. They can also increase a patient’s chances of developing C. diff, a specific type of bacteria that can cause severe diarrhea, nausea, fever, stomach pain, and other gastrointestinal problems. All hospital-acquired infections can jeopardize the health of patients and medical staff alike, but C. diff is one of the worst ones, according to hospital infection reports.

The Truth About C. Diff and How It Impacts Patients and Hospitals

Also known as clostridium deficile, C. diff is responsible for over 200,000 of the roughly 1.7 million hospital-acquired infections reported annually in the U.S., with the average annual cost of treatment coming in at around $6.3 billion. Most of the hospitals that have a problem with C. diff are those that use ineffective sanitizing and disinfectant products as a way to keep viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens that cause infection at bay. Most patients become infected with C. diff after touching a surface contaminated with feces and touching their mouth before washing their hands. So that everyone is on the same page, C. diff bacteria and its associated spores are commonly found in feces.

What Hospitals Are Doing to Comply With CDC Guidelines for Minimizing Hospital-Acquired Infections

There is no denying the intent; all hospitals employ sanitizing and disinfecting processes that help minimize a patient’s chances of developing an infection. But some use better products than others; one of those products is Oxydiff, an EPA approved disinfectant that quickly kills methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other infections caused by viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. Current data shows a large percentage of U.S. hospitals have made the powerful disinfectant their go-to for disinfecting hard surfaces, especially the ones likely to be contaminated with C.diff.2 min kill of pathogens using Oxydiff

The Consequences of Not Using the Right Disinfectant to Prevent the Spread of Hospital-Acquired Infections

Quite a few consequences cans stem from not taking the necessary steps to minimize the risk of hospital-acquired infection, some of which include the following:

    • Prolonged hospital stays – Patients who develop hospital-acquired infections often have to remain in a hospital much longer than anticipated, which leads to higher treatment costs. According to the CDC, the cost of treating hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) is more than $28 billion annually. It is also worth noting that the development of an HAI can make it harder to treat the condition that caused patients to visit the hospital in the first place.
    • Lost wages – Hospital-acquired infections are known to lengthen recovery times for patients after they have left the hospital and have returned home. And this precludes them from returning to work as quickly as they would like, which leads to a loss of wages.
    • Death – While rare, hospital-acquired infections can prove fatal for some patients. In a study published by the Alliance for Aging Research, researchers revealed an estimated 99,000 people die from these types of infections every year in the U.S.

Bottom Line

Despite being one of the most sanitary places anyone could find themselves in, infections do happen in hospitals. And they can sometimes have devastating consequences. But it is possible to minimize the spread of these infections by using a professional-grade, EPA approved disinfectant. Made up of a 5% peracetic acid disinfectant cleaner that cleans, disinfects, and deodorizes in a single step, Oxydiff is one of the best. According to the product’s manufacturer, it is a disinfectant that can destroy bacteria responsible for several infections, including those mentioned in this article, in as little as 2 minutes. With that being the case, it is easy to see why more and more hospitals are turning to this powerful disinfectant to help keep patients and medical teams safe.

CategoriesPatient Handling

Hospital saves $360,000 with AUVS – UV Box

SPH Medical offers hospitals the ability to disinfect mobile phones, tablets and more with the UV Box.  Some hospitals have reported cost savings of $360,000 annually by eliminating disposable lead wires and cables.  This cost savings does not include the savings of reducing Hospital Acquired Infections which is estimated at approximately $15,000 per infection.

DECONTAMINATE & SANITIZE

  • Cell Phones and Tablets
  • Stethoscopes
  • Blood Pressure Cuffs
  • Nurse Calls
  • Call Cords
  • TV Remote Controls
  • Pillow Speakers
  • EKG Wires
  • Laryngoscope Handles
  • Blood Glucose Meters
  • Electric Thermometers
  • Oximeter Sensors
  • Vacuum Regulators
  • Ultrasound Transducers…and more.

Contact SPH Medical for more information about the UV Box for your facility

email: info@sphmedical.com

Phone: 844-377-4633

web: www.sphmedical.com

 https://sphmedical.com/contact
CategoriesPatient Handling

Mobile Devices Threaten Patient Safety

In a well written article published in Infection Control Today, author Kelly M. Pyrek explores the risks that mobile devices are creating for patients and cites evidence from several key studies that we should be concerned and doing more to decontaminate these mobile devices.

Mobile phones, tablets and other electronic devices are potential transport mechanisms for harmful bacteria and viruses that can infect patients and staff alike.

Kelly M. Pyrek writes “This study indicates that unreported antibiotic resistant bacterial contaminants of mobile phones of patients may be a matter of great concern.  Hence, it is recommended that all patients admitted in hospitals be educated about guidelines of using mobile phones, regular disinfection of their mobile phones, hand hygiene and be advised not to share mobile phones with other people so that role of contaminated mobile phones in the spread of nosocomial infections can be prevented to some extent.”

A link to the article can be found below.

About SPH Medical:

SPH Medical provide solutions to healthcare facilities to reduce the risk of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI’s) and workplace injuries resulting from manual patient handling.   The new AUVS – UV disinfection device rapidly disinfects mobile phones, tablets, iPads, and portable hospital equipment.   The Halo disinfection system Kills 99.9999% of C. diff spores throughout an entire room.  Visit SPH Medical for more information:  https://sphmedical.com/auvs-disinfect-phones-tablets

Watch the AUVS disinfection system in action:

http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/2017/02/mobile-technology-disinfection-contaminated-devices-pose-threat-to-patients.aspx

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