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potential for contaminates to spray onto the face or hands of the person washing. Flooring. Under patient beds, tables, privacy curtains and chairs are vulnerable to contamination, especially for clos- tridium dif cile (C. dif ). Flooring must withstand harsh disinfectants and heavy cleaning equipment. Seamless fl ooring can eliminate dust and dirt in the seams, between tiles or between the fl ooring and wall base. Poured resin fl oors made of solid surface material with an acrylic fi nish should contain no pinholes or pores to harbor bacteria or mold. Welded and fl ash-coved rubber sheet, phthalate-free vinyl sheet or non-vinyl resilient sheet fl ooring can address infection control. Countertops. Surfaces can have thou- sands of dif erent types of bacteria while others may have only a few hundred. Solid surface material countertops adjacent to hand-washing sinks require attention because of constant contact with water, as well as adjacent wall surfaces, which are subject to damage and both can promote bacterial growth. Seamless, water-resistant materials are necessary in such areas. Wall surfaces. Wall fi nishes in patient areas must be fi ssure-free, nonporous, water-resistant and able to withstand harsh cleaning agents. Finishes include smooth or non-textured ceramic tile and clean- able paint. Avoiding vinyl wall coverings in moist environments will help prevent formation of mold underneath surfaces. Use of large format porcelain tiles will require less grout area, thus minimizing the potential for bacteria and mold growth. Soft surfaces. Privacy curtains are "high-touch" by caregivers and often contaminated, particularly at the edges. Understanding caregiver fl ow and ac- tivities after hand-washing and putting on gloves can better inform the fi nal location of patient privacy curtains. Furniture. Drug-resistant staph germs, E. Coli and microbes can survive up to 96 hours on chair seats, arm rests and common furniture fabrics. Disinfectant products can damage furniture wood frames and upholstery fabrics. Designers must under- stand the cleaning products and methods being used in order to properly specify the furniture and upholstery products. Focused on where infections occur, designers are integrating materials to mitigate the spread of pathogens critical to infection control and prevention. This requires an integrated approach among designers, facility managers, infection control and environmental services review- ing materials, processes and technologies. Creating "safe zones" for patients, staf and visitors and by emphasizing seamless surfaces to enhance cleanliness and reduce contamination linked to HAIs, designers can create safe healing environments. *Sources: Environmental Health Perspectives; ISME Journal; PeerJ; University of Oregon; Hospital Microbiome Project; Nature; Science; Building and Environment; American Society of Microbiology. Patrick Schultz, AIA, EDAC, LEED AP, is vice president and healthcare practice leader for HKS' Mid-Atlantic region and an MCD board member. He can be reached at pschultz@hksinc.com. Ana Pinto-Alexander, RID, IIDA, EDAC, is principal and global director of healthcare interiors for HKS. She can be reached at apinto-alexander@hksinc.com. The New Enterprise App Store specifically for healthcare facility staff that manage PDi Android™ based devices! Welcome! To Your New Favorite ADD APP an App Store… www.pdiarm.com www. pdistore .com PDi Communication Systems, Inc. 40 Greenwood Ln Springboro, OH 45066 • Toll-free 800.628.9870 I Fax 937.743.9871 FUN & FUNCTIONALITY MCDM AG.COM | SEPTEMBER /OCTOBER 2015 | Medical Construction & Design 37