Disinfection of the Patient Environment
Canada saw nearly 2.9 million inpatient hospitalizations in 2022, and one in nine patients will have contracted a healthcare-associated infection (HAI) during treatment. While facilities work diligently to keep the healthcare environment clean, more than 220,000 patients are impacted by HAIs annually1.
In the U.S., one out of every 31 patients, or about 3% of hospitalized patients, will contract at least one HAI during treatment2. According to the HAI Hospital Prevalence Survey in 2015, there were an estimated 687,000 HAIs in acute care hospitals, and roughly 72,000 hospital patients with HAIs died during hospitalization.
Infection Prevention and Control professionals and Environmental Services professionals dedicate extensive time and resources to ensure the patient environment is safe, yet infection rates persist. The primary culprit contributing to prevalence of HAIs is improper disinfection of the patient environment.
A recent article by Darrell Hicks discusses the complexities of cleaning the patient environment, arguing that existing cleaning protocols do not necessarily reflect best practices1. Hicks warns that the use of the word ‘clean’ may be misleading, claiming that “a clean hospital might not be a sanitary hospital.” Instead, proper disinfection of the patient environment depends on validated hygiene processes based on “hygienically clean” criteria.
A related article published in the Canadian Journal of Infection Control discusses the role of healthcare surfaces in the transmission of HAIs3. The article by Etland and colleagues makes a familiar claim that “a greater focus is needed on the design, construction, and operation of healthcare facilities and medical equipment to further reduce the spread of HAIs.”
The message is clear – as infection rates rise, it becomes increasingly important to assess and implement processes that keep patients and staff safe. Ensuring that facilities are implementing and enforcing validated disinfection protocols is a step in the right direction to reduce the spread of HAIs and contribute to a safer healthcare environment.
References
1Hicks, D. (2023, February 23). The importance of robust cleaning in patient care. Health Europa. https://www.healtheuropa.com/the-importance-of-robust-cleaning-in-patient-care/121443/
2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, November 3). Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hai/data/portal/index.html
3Etland, C., Lybert, L., Hicks, D., Schuh, G., Mills, J., Harris, J., & Turner, E. (2022). Healthcare surfaces and transmission of pathogens: A consensus statement. Canadian Journal of Infection Control, 37(3), 135-140. https://www.cjic.ca/88-fall-2022/339-healthcare-surfaces-and-transmission-of-pathogens-a-consensus-statement