Essential Components to Infection Prevention In ASCs

DisinfectWell CEO and Integrated Viral Protection COO provided infection prevention steps and tools ASCs can utilize.

As the pandemic continues to fluctuate, infection prevention remains at the top of the list in the healthcare industry, and DisinfectWell CEO Rodrigo Zurita spoke to TASCS members on this topic, focusing on surgery centers.

Zurita went over 12 essential components to an ASC infection prevention plan. These steps help each facility come up with a customized strategy that adheres to national guidelines and stays in compliance with specific areas. “I’m a big believer [that] you can’t manage what you don’t measure, so I think it’s really important as you define what oversight looks like,” he added.

According to John Peter Smith Hospital, airborne transmission makes up 10 to 24% of surgical site infections. Dangerous pathogens may be detectable in the air up to six hours and could stay on inanimate surfaces for several months.

Brian Patek, COO of Integrated Viral Protection, spoke on the air technology that can help combat this problem. “Right now, filters in your hospitals, in your surgery centers and in your homes are superspreaders,” he explained. “From the pandemic, we learned how to treat air quality.” Mobile air purification products may be helpful for quick turnarounds that would be needed in ASCs on a busy schedule. The filters inside Integrated Viral Protection units have a “catch and kill” disinfection solution, where heated filters kill bacteria, including COVID-19.

For surface protection, DisinfectWell’s process involves testing the microbial organism count, disinfecting with its non-toxic solution through a mist application and verifying the disinfection process has worked by checking the microbial counts once again. This solution works better than a simple wipe down, which would provide limited coverage to the area, and it avoids the hassle of having to clear a room of people, since it is safe to use around them.

During last year’s TASCS annual conference, DisinfectWell even used this product to help keep the conference safe for attendees, as seen in the data below (showing a baseline of bacteria for each point before and after it was disinfected).

By incorporating these steps and investing in air and surface protection, ambulatory surgery centers can continue to mitigate the risk of infection and can continue to provide the safest quality care.

 

Share this post:

Comments on "Essential Components to Infection Prevention In ASCs"

Comments 0-5 of 0

Please login to comment