Medical Construction & Design

JAN-FEB 2016

Medical Construction & Design (MCD) is the industry's leading source for news and information and reaches all disciplines involved in the healthcare construction and design process.

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New Color Palette Offers Neutral Colors to Promote Healing Dur-A-Flex, Inc. has released a new line of decorative, vi- nyl chips to be used with its fl ooring systems. Earthstone blends offer a color palette made up of neutral-colored vinyl chips designed to achieve a stone-like appearance. These new color options are being introduced with a focus on the healthcare market to provide healing options when looking for a durable, seamless fl oor system for areas such as hospital corridors and patient rooms. Dur- A-Flex's Earthstone chip blends are available in nine standard blends that can be installed with any of Dur-A-Flex's seamless fl ooring systems. ID#101 Persistent pathogens When facilities are confronted with persistent pathogens, surfaces are often the source of the problem. The source is revealed when looking beyond individual objects such as the bed, tables, chairs, hand-washing stations, walls and, instead, looking at textures, fi nishes and connections to other surface materials. Unseen damage and a microbial reservoir may be the source of the problem. Reaching for disinfectants may provide temporary relief but will not address the root cause. A study by Attaway, et al, (AJIC 40, 2012, 907-12) uncovered that surfaces cleaned with disinfecting solutions showed bacterial rebound > Can the number of surfaces be minimized? Are there seamless surface materials or can surface materials be welded together reduc- ing the number of seams or baton strips? > Can these surfaces be cleaned and disinfected? > Can hospital-grade disinfectants be used without causing damage? > Who will be held accountable for keeping an area clean and disin- fected? > Is there time to clean an area quickly and ef ciently? > What process is required to ef- fectively reduce the high levels of contamination? > What microbes exist in an area and how can they be destroyed? The role of human behavior Human behavior plays a key role in the spread of infection. For example, during three days of research and observing the behavior of health- care workers, the patient as well as visitors and environmental services staf revealed constant interactions with many dif erent surfaces. In recent years there has been a focus on "high-touch" surfaces for material selection and cleaning and disinfection. However, focusing on high-touch surfaces leaves highly touched surfaces highly contami- nated. within hours. Why is this happen- ing? A closer look at surfaces and the way they are assembled will provide important insight. Starting point for multimodal solutions Signifi cant research has shown environmental surfaces are a source for transmission of HAIs. Patients colonized or infected with pathogens shed organisms onto surrounding surfaces and portable equipment. All surfaces within a three-foot area of the patient have shown high levels of contamination. Patients acquire pathogens through direct contact with contaminated surfaces, equipment brought from other areas surfaces Terrain rx Flooring Offers Durability, High Performance Ecore Commercial Flooring offers a prescription for quiet, MIXED NOT MATCHED A close look at the number of surface materials, textiles, seams and connection points in this area shows over 60 different materials, textiles and connections. The cords lying across the patient bed are different. One is textured and one is smooth. The headwall has a combination of many different surface types. Spotlight For more information on these products, visit mcdmag.com/products. Construction Specialties Launches Redesigned Wall Panel Collection Construction Specialties (C/S) has revitalized its Acrovyn Wall Panel line using designer and installer feed- back to align with market trends. The updated product line provides the opportunity to reset wall panel standards with an extensive range of new design options. Wrapped square-edge panels, beveled-edge panels, new trims for unfi nished-edge panels and graphic printing enhance the ability to create bold interiors. The new collection also offers dimensional fl exibility for custom shapes and unique confi gurations. Included hardware and accessories reduce installation time by at least 50 percent and offer easy panel removal for routine maintenance and interior updates. Panels with wrapped edges can be spliced in the fi eld, avoiding the necessity for trims and exact panel dimensions. ID#100 22 Medical Construction & Design | JA N UA RY/ F EBRUA RY 2016 | MCDM AG.COM

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