Hospital Cleaning Trial Reduces Healthcare-associated Infections

Changes in a bundle of hospital cleaning practices can significantly reduce healthcare-associated infections, reveals a new study.

Following effective hospital cleaning practices can significantly reduce healthcare-associated infections, reports a new study.

A major trial of a bundle of hospital cleaning practices in 11 Australian hospitals has made significant reductions in healthcare-associated infections and demonstrated cost-benefits.

Spread Of Hospital Infections Can Be Prevented By Sticking To Strict Hand Hygiene Rules
The spread of high-risk bacteria can be stopped if the hand hygiene habits are improved in the operation room, finds a new study.

‘Changes in a bundle of hospital cleaning practices that focused on thoroughly cleaning 'touch points' in wards, have made notable reductions in healthcare-associated infections.’
Read More..

The study, "An environmental cleaning bundle and healthcare-associated infection in hospitals (REACH): a multi-centre randomised trial", was led by QUT health economist Professor Nick Graves from the Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI) at the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI) and is published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. It was funded by Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council.

"This research project is believed to be the largest prospective, multi-site and multifactorial trial of hospital cleaning in the world," Professor Graves said.

"Its aim primarily was to investigate whether a change in cleaning practices was effective in reducing the 165,000 healthcare-associated infections in Australia each year."

Probiotic-Based Sanitation Has Managed To Reduce Hospital Infections: Study
New probiotic-based sanitation method used in five Italian hospitals has managed to cut the infections associated with hospitals in half.

Professor Graves said the REACH (Researching Effective Approaches to Cleaning Hospitals) project introduced a bundle of cleaning initiatives, tailored to each hospital in the study, to improve both routine and discharge hospital room cleaning.

Hospital-wide promotion of the importance of cleaning in reducing infections was undertaken to support a culture shift in the profile of environmental services staff, Professor Graves said.

Ultraviolet Disinfection Cuts Risk of Hospital-acquired Infections
Using ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections eliminated up to 97.7 percent of pathogens in operating rooms (ORs).

"Cleaning was audited using fluorescent marker technology. This system used gel dots, invisible to the naked eye, applied to surfaces. The dots resist dry abrasion and are removed only by a thorough cleaning technique," he said.

"Hospitals in the study improved their cleaning practices from 55 to 76 percent in bathroom areas and from 64 to 86 percent in bedroom areas.

Hospital Acquired Infections | Nosocomial Infections - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Risk Factors, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention
Hospital acquired infections (HAI) are acquired by patients and health personnel alike in a hospital setting. HAI can be life-threatening and need to be promptly diagnosed and treated. Major causes are bacteria, with fungi and viruses playing a lesser role.

"This resulted in a 37 percent reduction in the major healthcare-associated infection, vancomycin-resistance enterococci (VRE), and a 5.8 percent decrease overall in three types of infections.

"In contrast to previous research, the cleaning bundle development prioritized evidence-based strategies that were easy to implement and lower cost, over newer expensive technologies.

"Overall, the cleaning bundle cost approximately $2,500 per 10,000 bed days to implement in participating hospitals."

The REACH cleaning bundle was successful at improving cleaning thoroughness and showed great promise in reducing vancomycin-resistant enterococci infections. It also demonstrated cost-savings and increased health benefits from infections prevented.

The intervention is broadly applicable to cleaning in any hospital, throughout the continuum of care, as it does not solely focus on discharge cleaning. Future publication of the economic outcomes of the study will provide valuable information for decision makers about the potential for investing in future hospital cleaning initiatives.

Source-Eurekalert