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The HEPACART Blog

5 Things Facilities Managers Should Know About Disease Prevention

The prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) has received increasing attention by facility executives across the country, and efforts have expanded far beyond implementing disease prevention practices for healthcare workers. The design, management, and operations of a facility’s physical space is just as important to preventing the spread of infection as the actions of the staff. Here are five things facilities managers should know when planning disease prevention efforts for their facilities.

1. Where do germs & pathogens congregate?

A thorough and consistent cleaning and maintenance program is the foundation of disease prevention, but some high-contact spaces may be overlooked. For example, computer equipment in healthcare facilities is often used by several users throughout the day, but computer mice and keyboards may not get the attention that patient care equipment receives. Anything that gets touched regularly, especially by many people, should be the focus of sanitizing and disinfecting protocols.

In addition, there’s one area of focus that receives little to no human contact, but should be a target of infection control efforts nonetheless: water systems. Legionella bacteria thrive and proliferate in water that is between 68 and 124 degrees F. Potable water systems such as water tanks, showers, and faucets, as well as cooling towers and condenser systems are ideal for Legionella growth. ASHRAE Standard 188 details minimum risk management practices for preventing Legionnaires’ Disease, including taking inventory of water systems, increased surveillance of high-risk areas, and cleaning protocols for low-use systems.

 

2. Achieving air quality is a two-part process

Airborne contagions present a risk of infection in a much wider area than those spread via touch or droplets, making air quality a critical aspect of healthcare facility infection control. Achieving air quality requires equal attentions to two different processes: pressure regulation and sterilization.

Air pressure regulation is the process of creating negative or positive pressure depending on the room or situation. A good rule of thumb is that positive pressure protects patients by moving air out of care rooms, and negative pressure protects healthcare workers and isolates odors. One example is the use of positive pressure in surgical operation rooms: by circulating only purified air into the room, facilities can reduce the risk of infection at the site of operation.

Air sterilization or purification is the second aspect of air quality. Contaminated air in healthcare facilities can’t be allowed to remain, but venting it in excess to the exterior of the facility can put surrounding communities at risk. Rather, technology such as Far-UVC light is used to kill airborne pathogens, making it safe to cycle back into use or vent outside.

 

3. Antibiotic stewardship prevents future catastrophe

Eliminating bacteria and other microbes may sound like an important goal for infection control efforts, but overuse of antimicrobial products is actually harmful to long-term disease prevention. Over 30% of antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary, contributing to a growing number of drug-resistant disease strains in the United States and around the globe.

It’s not just prescriptions that are raising alarms about the overuse of antimicrobial products. Cleaning products and personal hygiene products such as hand soap are also causing concern among antibiotic resistance researchers. The current consensus states that such products are sometimes necessary, such as in cases of disinfecting critical patient care spaces, but use should be restricted in all other applications.

 

4. Construction drastically increases the likelihood of HAIs

Construction, renovation, and building maintenance is a necessary part of the operations of a healthcare facility, but it needs to be approached with care to ensure patient safety. The dust, noise, vibrations, and high traffic associated with healthcare facility construction drastically increases the likelihood of HAIs. As an example, “hospital construction or renovations account for half of all healthcare-associated Aspergillus outbreaks, with an estimated 5,000 deaths due to construction-related infections occurring each year.” (EH&E)

Properly isolating construction sites is essential to continued operations of a healthcare facility with minimal risk to patients and staff. Take stock of operational areas around the site, as extra precautions may be required for high-risk areas such as surgical operation theaters and patient care rooms for patients with compromised immune systems. Construction sites should have negative air pressure to avoid the spread of contaminants throughout the facility, and more technology may be necessary depending on the situation.

 

5. Even the best-laid plans go awry

Outbreaks may occur even with the most thorough of infection control protocols. Staff, patients, and visitors may bring in pathogens that haven’t been accounted for, or just slip through. Don’t neglect to create an outbreak containment plan simply because you have a best-in-class disease prevention program. Once an outbreak occurs, minimizing the spread is the only way to ensure continued patient care and safety.

Creating and implementing infection control protocol begins with educating yourself and your staff. Every aspect of a healthcare facility should be considered in the fight against HAIs, from equipment to the physical space of the building itself. Learn more about controlling airborne infection by downloading our free resource below:

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