Luckily, it sounds like an outbreak of the Ebola virus in the US has been averted, but we have all been thinking about how to stop infections diseases from infecting more people every day. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are (or should be) accustomed to the practices which prevent infectious disease from spreading from patient to patient and patient to caregiver.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1 in 25 hospital patients “end up with hospital acquired infections.” That sounds like a lot of people getting sick from being in the hospital. They estimate that in 2011 75,000 deaths were related to hospital acquired infections.
Hospital acquired infections can range from urinary tract and surgical site infections to viral infections when sick populations interact with patients who are immune compromised.
Some hospitals are much worse than others. What’s the difference?
Preventing Hospital Acquired Infection and the Spread of Infectious Disease
Your hospital should be:
Cleaning and maintaining ventilation systems
Cleaning and maintaining water systems
Training facilities personnel in best practices
You should be:
Washing your hands with soap and water frequently, even in the hospital
Get vaccinated on schedule
Stay home if you are sick
Don’t share personal grooming items or cosmetics
Don’t touch your eyes or nose unless you have just washed your hands
Staying out of the hospital if possible by getting regular healthcare before you are in an emergency situation
AirTek offers many services to healthcare facilities, including:
- Infection Control
- Fire and Smoke Damper Inspections
- Fire Stopping Services
- Complete Air Duct Cleaning
- HVAC Cleaning
- Dryer Vent Cleaning
- Kitchen Hood and Exhaust Cleaning
- Video Inspection
We would be happy to help your facility prevent infectious diseases, even when we are not all talking about Ebola 24/7.