Within a healthcare facility, great caution is taken to limit the spread of infection and disease between patients and between patients and staff. During the COVID-19 pandmeic, hospitals have doubled down on safety precautions and preventive measures to reduce hospital-acquired infection of the highly-contagious virus.
Some contamination and transmission sources are obvious, such as hands, frequently used surfaces, and medical instruments. However, some sources go relatively unnoticed, even in the midst of a global pandemic.
For example, a recent Healthcare Facilities Management article pointed out that hospital floors may be an underappreciated source of pathogen spread. The article cites a study that found sanitized hospital rooms tested positive for MRSA and other pathogens within 24 hours of an infected patient entering. Contamination that started on the floor was transferred to patients’ socks, bedding, and other nearby surfaces.
Another overlooked source of hospital contamination is HVAC systems. Some airborne diseases can travel through HVAC systems via microscopic particles. Hospitals address this issue through the testing and balancing of HVAC systems and by maintaining negative air pressure in critical areas, yet audits of these systems are not always conducted effectively or thoroughly.
This is precisely why Life Balance was founded. Our unique SāfAir technology allows hospitals and other companies to easily analyze air quality conditions and manage their HVAC systems. It streamlines the process for compliance, auditing, and reporting, which helps lower costs and reduce the spread of airborne infection.
To learn more about Life Balance Technologies and the SāfAir software, visit our Software page.
