Automated disinfection is no longer a nice to have, it is a need to have. Up to 78 percent of hospital surfaces still harbor pathogens after manual disinfection and in the case of C. difficile infection, a patient is 2.5 times more likely to acquire the pathogen if the prior room occupant was infected. These errors can be deadly, and the cost is great. Using automated disinfection can help reduce the risk.

Eckstein, BC et al. Reduction of Clostridium Difficile and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus contamination of environmental surfaces after an intervention to improve cleaning methods, 21 June 2007; BMC Infectious Diseases 2007

Shaughnessy, MK et al. Evaluation of hospital room assignment and acquisition of Clostridium difficile infection. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology

Promoting patient safety, ensuring value and enhancing quality is the healthcare industry’s trifecta, however in conjunction with these efforts comes the prevention of adverse events and infections. Today’s medical environments understanding legal liability for healthcare-acquired infections is beyond critical, it’s common practice. Risk managers and patient safety officers are required to follow evidence-based practices to avoid medical negligence.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), each year 700,000 people die as a result of antibiotics-resistant bacteria. It’s anticipated that, by 2050, a staggering 10 million people will have died at the hands of these bacteria. It’s numbers like this that worry world leaders, and one of the reasons the WHO approved a declaration on September 21 2016, aimed at reducing antibiotics use worldwide.