On any given day, at least 1 in 31 hospital patients has a healthcare-associated infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthcare-associated infections, also called hospital-acquired infections, are infections and diseases contracted by patients while visiting or being treated in a healthcare facility. The CDC estimates that HAIs lead to about 1.7 million infections and 99,000 deaths annually.
Healthcare-associated infections were a major concern during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the contagiousness of the virus, but they are something that healthcare administrators should be regularly addressing. Every year, hospitals and healthcare facilities undergo a process to assess their infection control parameters and controls. The report generated from this process helps hospitals discover gaps in their infrastructure and protocol and prevent HAI. However, there are several shortcomings of the current system for auditing and reporting, including the fact that most airborne infection control reports only measure the “critical areas” of a facility—which typically amount to 15-20% of a building.
Life Balance Technologies seeks to address these gaps with a revolutionary software solution, called KPac, that helps healthcare systems more effectively understand their infection control standards and possible risks—saving money and saving lives down the road.
It all starts with the map. KPac creates a virtual map of a building’s life safety drawings, which are essentially floor plans that identify life safety and emergency features and are required in almost every public building. Air balance contractors can enter measurements for critical rooms and areas into the virtual map. Once a technician enters data, contractors will receive immediate feedback about whether the room “passes” or “fails” the required standards. This allows technicians to begin balancing rooms faster and eliminates time lags which can lead to increased airborne infection risk. Once the testing and the balancing is complete, KPac generates a report, which includes a detailed result from each room as well as the whole building. The report can be used internally or for periodic compliance filings with accreditation agencies. Life Balance holds the data securely and updates the drawings to account for any structural or regulatory changes.
Life Balance has already integrated the software in four hospitals outside of Texas and is looking to onboard Houston-area and Austin-area healthcare facilities as soon as possible.
Life Balance Technologies helps hospitals and other companies easily analyze air quality conditions and effectively manage their HVAC systems. By streamlining the process for compliance, auditing, and reporting, we help reduce costs and save lives.
