The main challenge in a medical facility is to prevent the spread of bacteria, viruses, and disease. The highly contagious MRSA bacterial infection has been particularly difficult to contain within hospital environments.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
1 in 25 Patients Contract a Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI)
Hospitals and medical facilities are places where people go to be healed. However, low indoor air quality can leave patients vulnerable to diseases that may be more serious than their original health problem. Bacterial infection and viruses that are contracted while in a facility’s care leave the facility open to legal suits and loss of reputation.
Medical facilities are particularly prone to air contaminants such as infectious bacteria, viruses, and mold, which are dangerous to patient and employee health. Air quality in surgery rooms is particularly important. In no other area of a medical facility are patients as vulnerable to contracting an infection as while in surgery and under the effects of anesthesia. With modern infections building up resistance to common antibiotics, preventing the onset of an infection in patients, who already have compromised health, is more important than ever before.
Health Risks from MRSA
According to the CDC, 1 in 25 medical facility patients contract at least one infection while undergoing medical care. About 75,000 of these patients died in 2011. MRSA has challenged hospital personnel across the country with its quick spread and difficulty in curing. Since MRSA is an antibiotic resistant infection, normal staph infection treatments frequently do not affect it. For a patient that is already struggling with other health issues, it can lead to death. Other common healthcare associated diseases include influenza, tuberculosis, and hepatitis.
Medical facility employees are also affected by poor air quality. Loss of productivity and employee absenteeism are common results of indoor air pollution.
There are several known contaminants common in hospitals and medical facilities which are causes for concern and which can be controlled by the installation of a CosaTron System.
CosaTron Systems Control Common Contaminants
The most common contaminants found in medical facilities includes airborne bacteria, viruses, mold, and dust. A CosaTron System will control these dangerous contaminants and provide a steady flow of fresh, recirculated air in all medical environments.
Source: http://healthcare.financialexpress.com/201202/hospitalinfra01.shtml
Source: http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/surveillance/index.html
Keywords: healthcare associated infection, hai, mrsa, medical facilities, control spread of mrsa virus, airborne bacteria, airborne virus, surgery room air quality, health, downflow air systems
