As a follow up to my article, “Single-Source Infection Control,” in last year’s October issue, I want to begin an open discussion introducing the goal of setting up an infection control (IC) planned maintenance workorder system for the building industry.
Why discuss this concept? Well, some of the reasons are stated in my October article, but what got me thinking about this topic was a TV commercial telling people they can have a next-day reaction from chemotherapy treatment. It went on to suggest to the TV audience that the patient has a 17% chance of needing to return to the hospital, where they may be extremely vulnerable to a new infection. These infections from hospitals are now called health care associated infection (HAI). This was the first time I had seen a commercial warning people of the risk of going to a hospital — something hospitals aren’t going to tell their patients. HAIs are the sixth leading cause of death in America.