Cintas Announces Top 11 Infection Prevention Trends for 2011
December 15 2010 - 10:29AM
Business Wire
Cintas, sponsor of Infection Prevention for Dummies and a
leading supplier of microfiber and infection prevention programs,
today announced the top 11 infection prevention trends for 2011.
The trends were identified to equip Infection Preventionists and
Environmental Service Directors with the information necessary to
prepare their facilities for potential vulnerabilities to their
infection prevention programs in the coming year.
“From new governmental regulations to emerging viruses and bugs,
infection control programs will face new challenges in 2011,” said
Brent Schafer, Vice President of Healthcare, Cintas. “More than
ever, healthcare facilities need to ensure they have the right
resources in place to remain prepared in this evolving
landscape.”
The top 11 trends in infection prevention for 2011 include:
1. Increased availability of new disinfectants. The U.S.
EPA is anticipated to approve new or existing disinfectants with a
kill claim for C-difficile in the next year. This will create
further demand for improved disinfectant tools and technology.
2. Broader acceptance of disinfectant wipes. Non-sodium
hypochlorite disinfectant wipes will gain a bigger share of the
market due to convenience and efficacy against a wide spectrum of
microorganisms.
3. Increased communication and education regarding emerging
threats. Manufacturers will take a more active role in
educating the public about threats associated with micro-resistant
organisms. This will help allay fears and hysteria associated with
“superbugs.”
4. Microfiber will continue to penetrate the market.
Microfiber will gain a larger market share due to broader general
acceptance. Outsourced microfiber programs will also generate
increased attention in an effort to limit overhead costs and ensure
proper laundering protocol is followed.
5. The threat of worldwide pandemics and flu-like viruses
will persist. Viruses such as NDM-1 will continue to cause
potential scares requiring facilities, manufacturers and frontline
healthcare personnel to stay prepared in the event of a potential
outbreak.
6. New policies regarding patient curtain will emerge.
Policies regarding changing cubicle or privacy curtains following
isolation contact will gain momentum, forcing the development of
disposable curtains or quick-change solutions requiring minimal
labor and/or expertise.
7. Greater attention will develop toward the disinfection
practices for patient use items. Mandates driven by the Joint
Commission will generate a greater awareness for practices used to
clean patient items such as wheelchairs, stretchers, IV poles and
other mobile objects. Infection preventionists and environmental
service directors should be prepared for questions relating to who
is responsible for cleaning these items, what is being used to
clean or disinfect the surfaces and the time allocated for cleaning
to occur.
8. Increased budget cuts. New federal regulations will
likely result in further budget deficits and cuts. This will have a
potential impact on hospital housekeeping departments. Since 80 to
85 percent of a housekeeping department’s budget is spent on labor,
it will be a challenge for department managers to maintain clean
and sanitary facilities with less staff.
9. Renewed cooperation between all healthcare
constituents. Infection Preventionists, cleaning staff,
patients, nursing staff and doctors will increase coordination and
efforts to reduce rates associated with hospital-acquired
infections (HAIs). New programs will help all healthcare personnel
understand the significance of maintaining a clean and sanitary
environment.
10. Increased use of cleanliness measurement tools. New
innovations such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) meters and black
light detection equipment will enable infection control personnel
to get a better gauge of the quality of cleaning performed and
provide essential benchmarking information.
11. New laundering regulations. Healthcare officials will
face greater scrutiny regarding protocols used to launder patient
use items and cleaning equipment, such as microfiber.
“Infection Preventionists and Environmental Service Directors
must work together to combat the emerging threats to infection
control programs in their facilities,” added John Savage, Director
of Marketing, Healthcare, Cintas. “By communicating with other
departments and working with vendors who provide knowledge and
services to combat these threats, healthcare facilities can
proactively help reduce the opportunity for an infectious
outbreak.”
“The latest issue of Infection Prevention for Dummies includes
the very latest information on tips for Environmental Service
Directors and Infection Preventionists,” added J. Darrel Hicks,
REH. “It makes a great stocking stuffer for healthcare personnel
this holiday season.”
For more information on Cintas’ solutions for healthcare
facilities, go to http://www.cintashealthcare.com/. To receive a
copy of the 2nd Edition of Infection Prevention for Dummies, go to
http://www.ieha.org/showcatproducts.php?cid=1 .
About Cintas:
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas Corporation provides highly
specialized services to businesses of all types primarily
throughout North America. Cintas designs, manufactures and
implements corporate identity uniform programs, and provides
entrance mats, restroom supplies, promotional products, first aid,
safety, fire protection products and services and document
management services for approximately 800,000 businesses. Cintas is
a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market
under the symbol CTAS and is a Nasdaq-100 company and component of
the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.
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