James Rapley, Product Development Engineer, Microban International06.09.23
Healthcare services are under immense pressure to treat millions of people each day as our population continues to grow and age. With this mounting care burden in mind, hospitals and clinics are seeking out ways to boost their facilities, streamline their services, and improve cleanliness.
These efforts include the implementation of thorough cleaning measures, such as scrubbing down surfaces and regular handwashing, as well as the provision of personal protective equipment. However, with the sheer volume of foot traffic travelling through hospital corridors daily, we have to ask ourselves, is cleaning alone still enough?
Institutions work diligently to clean surfaces where microbes are known to thrive (Figure 1), but their efforts are often restricted by the inadequacy of common cleaning products that only offer limited residual activity once the treated area has dried. This means that surfaces are only clean until they are touched again and new microbial populations recolonize the area.
Rising hospital attendances have increased frequency of these soiling and re-soiling events, compounding the challenge of managing the microbial bioburden on high-touch surfaces in patient areas. Constantly wiping down products with harsh cleaning chemicals also adds to general wear and tear, causing unattractive deterioration. This – along with the damage caused by microbes – can often be wrongly perceived by visitors as lack of care, and does little to reassure users of surface cleanliness.
One way to do this is to incorporate built-in antimicrobial technologies into medical surfaces and products. These antimicrobial formulations are seamlessly engineered into products during manufacture, becoming an integral part of their molecular structure and working around-the-clock to help inhibit the growth of microbes without the risk of washing off or wearing away. These well-established chemistries function as an adjunct to a regular cleaning schedule, providing a more comprehensive and proactive method of maintaining surface cleanliness for the entire lifetime of a product, even after extensive use.
Incorporating antimicrobial technologies into the base material of nebulizers, aspirators, and other breathing devices2 – or even on coatings covering these machines – can help to keep these essential products cleaner and functional for longer. Toileting and bath safety products3 – including commodes, shower chairs, raised toilet seats, and grab rails – are also vulnerable to microbial growth, as they are situated in a warm and moist bathroom environment. Incorporating antimicrobial technologies into these products can help to protect them from degradation caused by mold and mildew, so that they can continue to provide users on a continuum of care with independence and support for longer.
Similarly, high-touch surfaces – anything that comes into close proximity with patients, staff members or visitors, such as medical weighing scales, clinical workstations, and chairs and tabletops, as well as tablets and other personal devices4 – can easily become a microbial hotspot (Figure 2). Basic everyday products like hospital carts, dispensing cabinets, and mobile workstations5 are all designed to offer accessible and easily transportable storage solutions for wards and departments. However, their regular use provides ample opportunity for surfaces to become soiled by the many hands and medical instruments that they encounter, and they have hard-to-reach corners and niches that are difficult to clean.
Similarly, although visitors are routinely encouraged to sanitize their hands upon entering a facility, waiting rooms and corridors are prone to contamination with dirt, debris, and microbes that enter healthcare facilities on shoes, clothes, and other material possessions. Integrating antimicrobial technologies into products and surfaces in departments and communal areas can help to reduce the growth of microorganisms, enhancing cleanliness and providing added reassurance that these spaces remain clean, despite frequent use.
The upkeep and regular cleaning of heavily populated medical facilities is harshly judged and closely monitored, and hospitals need to rely on an antimicrobial expert with an extensive portfolio of technologies and knowledge of regulations across different geographical territories7 to help incorporate product protection solutions into high-touch surfaces and equipment.
Built-in functional treatments provide the best complementary strategy to regular handwashing and cleaning, forming part of a wider solution to help reduce product-degrading microbial growth in these environments and ensuring greater peace of mind for staff and patients alike.
References:
1. Cobrado, L. et al. 2017. High-touch surfaces: Microbial neighbours at hand. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. 36(11), 2053–2062. doi: 10.1007/s10096-017-3042-4.
2. Antimicrobial breathing and medical devices. Microban. https://www.microban.com/ns-group.
3. Antimicrobial bath chairs and safety products by Medline. Microban. https://www.microban.com/medline.
4. Olsen, M. et al. 2020. Mobile phones represent a pathway for microbial transmission: A scoping review. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 35, 101704. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101704.
5. Antimicrobial shelving and carts by Metro. Microban. https://www.microban.com/metro.
6. Antimicrobial additives market size, share & trends analysis report by type (organic, inorganic), by application (plastics, paints & coatings), by end use (healthcare, food & beverage), and segment forecasts, 2022 - 2030. Grand View Research. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/antimicrobial-additives-market.
7. Antimicrobial healthcare products and surfaces. Microban. https://www.microban.com/antimicrobial-solutions/environments/healthcare.
These efforts include the implementation of thorough cleaning measures, such as scrubbing down surfaces and regular handwashing, as well as the provision of personal protective equipment. However, with the sheer volume of foot traffic travelling through hospital corridors daily, we have to ask ourselves, is cleaning alone still enough?
What’s Growing on Your Hospital Surfaces?
Microorganisms are inevitably present in any facility providing medical treatment. Unprotected surfaces in healthcare environments become soiled as soon as they encounter unwashed hands, food residues, or airborne droplets, acting as reservoirs on which bacteria can survive and multiply.1 In turn, microbial reproduction can lead to unpleasant stains and odors, and even product degradation, resulting in the need for more frequent cleaning or premature disposal and costly replacements.Institutions work diligently to clean surfaces where microbes are known to thrive (Figure 1), but their efforts are often restricted by the inadequacy of common cleaning products that only offer limited residual activity once the treated area has dried. This means that surfaces are only clean until they are touched again and new microbial populations recolonize the area.
Rising hospital attendances have increased frequency of these soiling and re-soiling events, compounding the challenge of managing the microbial bioburden on high-touch surfaces in patient areas. Constantly wiping down products with harsh cleaning chemicals also adds to general wear and tear, causing unattractive deterioration. This – along with the damage caused by microbes – can often be wrongly perceived by visitors as lack of care, and does little to reassure users of surface cleanliness.
Prevention is the Best Protection for your Products
Healthcare providers need to focus on proactive cleaning measures to stay ahead of microbial growth curves, ensure a clean environment, and instill confidence in service users.One way to do this is to incorporate built-in antimicrobial technologies into medical surfaces and products. These antimicrobial formulations are seamlessly engineered into products during manufacture, becoming an integral part of their molecular structure and working around-the-clock to help inhibit the growth of microbes without the risk of washing off or wearing away. These well-established chemistries function as an adjunct to a regular cleaning schedule, providing a more comprehensive and proactive method of maintaining surface cleanliness for the entire lifetime of a product, even after extensive use.
From Wheelchairs to Waiting Rooms and Everything in Between
Manufacturers in the medical space are increasingly turning to this tried-and-tested method to extend the usable lifespan of all manner of materials, but there are certain product groups that need particular attention. For example, it is crucial that therapeutic devices are kept scrupulously clean.Incorporating antimicrobial technologies into the base material of nebulizers, aspirators, and other breathing devices2 – or even on coatings covering these machines – can help to keep these essential products cleaner and functional for longer. Toileting and bath safety products3 – including commodes, shower chairs, raised toilet seats, and grab rails – are also vulnerable to microbial growth, as they are situated in a warm and moist bathroom environment. Incorporating antimicrobial technologies into these products can help to protect them from degradation caused by mold and mildew, so that they can continue to provide users on a continuum of care with independence and support for longer.
Similarly, high-touch surfaces – anything that comes into close proximity with patients, staff members or visitors, such as medical weighing scales, clinical workstations, and chairs and tabletops, as well as tablets and other personal devices4 – can easily become a microbial hotspot (Figure 2). Basic everyday products like hospital carts, dispensing cabinets, and mobile workstations5 are all designed to offer accessible and easily transportable storage solutions for wards and departments. However, their regular use provides ample opportunity for surfaces to become soiled by the many hands and medical instruments that they encounter, and they have hard-to-reach corners and niches that are difficult to clean.
Similarly, although visitors are routinely encouraged to sanitize their hands upon entering a facility, waiting rooms and corridors are prone to contamination with dirt, debris, and microbes that enter healthcare facilities on shoes, clothes, and other material possessions. Integrating antimicrobial technologies into products and surfaces in departments and communal areas can help to reduce the growth of microorganisms, enhancing cleanliness and providing added reassurance that these spaces remain clean, despite frequent use.
A Forward-Thinking Solution
Incorporating antimicrobial additives into clinical surfaces at the point of manufacture is an integral part of ongoing plans to enhance product cleanliness in healthcare environments. Out of all the industries relying on antimicrobial technologies, the healthcare sector is expected to experience the fastest annual growth rate between 2022 and 2030 and, therefore, efforts must be made to keep up with growing demands.6The upkeep and regular cleaning of heavily populated medical facilities is harshly judged and closely monitored, and hospitals need to rely on an antimicrobial expert with an extensive portfolio of technologies and knowledge of regulations across different geographical territories7 to help incorporate product protection solutions into high-touch surfaces and equipment.
Built-in functional treatments provide the best complementary strategy to regular handwashing and cleaning, forming part of a wider solution to help reduce product-degrading microbial growth in these environments and ensuring greater peace of mind for staff and patients alike.
References:
1. Cobrado, L. et al. 2017. High-touch surfaces: Microbial neighbours at hand. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. 36(11), 2053–2062. doi: 10.1007/s10096-017-3042-4.
2. Antimicrobial breathing and medical devices. Microban. https://www.microban.com/ns-group.
3. Antimicrobial bath chairs and safety products by Medline. Microban. https://www.microban.com/medline.
4. Olsen, M. et al. 2020. Mobile phones represent a pathway for microbial transmission: A scoping review. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 35, 101704. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101704.
5. Antimicrobial shelving and carts by Metro. Microban. https://www.microban.com/metro.
6. Antimicrobial additives market size, share & trends analysis report by type (organic, inorganic), by application (plastics, paints & coatings), by end use (healthcare, food & beverage), and segment forecasts, 2022 - 2030. Grand View Research. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/antimicrobial-additives-market.
7. Antimicrobial healthcare products and surfaces. Microban. https://www.microban.com/antimicrobial-solutions/environments/healthcare.