Aug. 23--PLATTSBURGH -- CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh has begun using an advanced system to sterilize patient rooms and reduce the potential for spreading infections.
The hospital recently purchased some state-of-the-art equipment that disperses high levels of hydrogen peroxide into recently vacated patient rooms. The equipment vaporizes the liquid chemical, which allows vapors to penetrate areas beyond the ability of a normal cleaning.
"We're not routinely doing every patient room," said Beth Giroux, director of the hospital's Environmental Services. "We're focusing on isolation patients, those with MRSA or VRE, that type of thing."
BOTTOM LINE
MRSA and VRE are bacterial infections that are not uncommon in hospital settings. CVPH has been working diligently on ways to reduce the potential for such outbreaks, and the new technology helps the hospital move in that direction.
"One of the big benefits (for using the technology) is that it has been shown to reduce hospital-acquired infections," Giroux said. "We are seeing, in health care, an increased amount of hospital-acquired infections. Hospitals are going to start being paid or not paid (patient reimbursements) depending on patient rate of infection. It will impact the bottom line."
TIGHTLY SEALED
When a patient is discharged, hospital employees complete their standard hands-on cleaning efforts. Then, specially trained staff seals the room so that no vapors can escape during treatment. Windows, doorways and vents are all sealed tightly by specially designed tape and other barriers.
The vaporizer is placed in the room, and the door leading to the hallway is closed with no one left inside. Staff then seals the outer door, and the machine is turned on from a monitor in the hallway.
"Placement of the equipment is the most important part of the process," Giroux said. "We want to make sure that we get into every nook and cranny."
Hydrogen peroxide purchased for home use has about a 3-percent concentration; the chemical used for the process at CVPH has a 30-percent concentration.
The equipment is so specialized that sensors will know whether the chemicals being used have expired based on UPC readings, Giroux noted of the safety precautions followed throughout the process.
QUICKER TURNAROUND
Once the equipment is activated, staff will monitor the room's temperature and humidity as well as the increasing level of hydrogen peroxide.
"The room will reach up to 350 parts per million," Giroux said. "A normal reading would produce about one part per million."
Staff will test the outer door for any possible leaks when the process begins to ensure that the door's seal is working properly. Then, once everything seems to be running properly, staff will provide contact numbers should anything be needed while they go on to other duties for the hour or so that the cleaning takes.
With the standard process for sterilizing rooms, the hospital could not place a new patient in a room vacated by someone with a serious bacterial infection for three days. With this new process, the room can be occupied as soon as staff unseals the room and removes the sterilization equipment, Giroux noted.
"This technique helps keep patients in beds," she said.
Email Jeff Meyers at: jmeyers@pressrepublican.com
___
(c)2011 Press-Republican (Plattsburgh, N.Y.)
Visit Press-Republican (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) at pressrepublican.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services