Leading Healthcare Systems Invest in Technology to Monitor Infectious Control

Published by Nina Perez on

COVID-19 concerns have put the nation on edge. Meanwhile, hospitals and healthcare staff have been bracing themselves for the outcome of this pandemic as it spreads throughout the United States and focusing their efforts on best practices to prevent the spread of disease. Nancy Messonnier, M.D., director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases says “It’s not a question of if but rather a question of when and how many people in this country will have severe illness.” Controlling the spread of disease and minimizing the number of healthcare-associated infections are primary concerns for any healthcare facility. 

Flattening the curve

You may have heard this term used more often in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The “curve” researchers are talking about refers to the projected number of people who will contract COVID-19 over a period of time. As there is currently no vaccine or specific medication to treat COVID-19, and because testing is so limited in the U.S., the only way to flatten the curve is through collective action. Of course for Americans, that means social distancing, proper hygiene, and self isolation. But what does it mean for healthcare providers? As the demands rise, the curve does too, eventually passing the ‘Health Care System Capacity’ line. By taking added measures to monitor critical environments, healthcare systems can help flatten the curve.

BOS Technology has teamed up with a leading healthcare system to provide infectious control monitoring. BOS Technology is a software company specializing in building optimization and real-time monitoring of critical environments. Bacteria and viruses are living organisms, and they need specific conditions to grow. BOS Technology provides a unique approach to monitoring these environments by keeping critical areas equipped with one or several sensors, which collect data on environmental elements such as temperature, humidity, tVOC ( Volatile Organic Compounds ), ACPH ( Air changes per hour ), differential pressure, and more. The data can be viewed on a laptop, cellphone, or tablet by facilities directors. One of the benefits of using this technology, specifically for infectious control purposes, is that facilities managers receive immediate text message and email alerts when compliance is not being met. This allows healthcare facilities managers to have a birds-eye view of their hospital at all times and ensure the best practices for infectious control are being used.

What are HAI’s and SSI’s? 

HAI’s or Healthcare-associated Infections are infections that patients get while receiving treatment for medical or surgical conditions. These unanticipated infections that develop during medical or surgical treatment may result in significant patient illnesses and deaths. According to the CDC, On any given day, about 1 in 31 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection. SSI refers to a surgical site infection, or an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Due to the invasive nature of many modern medical procedures or surgeries, the opportunity for unrelated infections to develop in hospitals and other healthcare facilities is high. Because patients are at a particularly vulnerable to risk during procedure, it is especially crucial that operation rooms are being fully monitored.

Healthcare Facilities Teams have many area’s to monitor among their scheduled and unexpected maintenance projects. BOS Technology has partnered with leading engineers in the industry that specialize in reducing HAIs and SSIs. Our team of engineers have extensive resumes that include working with CDC and many healthcare facilities. BOS technology has made this partnership to offer 24/7 monitoring on critical areas including Operation Rooms, Isolation Rooms, Chemo Rooms, E.D. Lobbies, and clean linen closets. With a specified approach, cutting edge technology, and skilled engineers, BOS Technology monitors air handlers, evaporator wet bulb temperature, chilled water flow and temperature ( AHU ), duct flow, differential pressure, temperature, humidity, particulate matter, tVOC, Air changes per hour, air flow, and exhaust. All the while helping ensure hospitals meet regulatory compliance and provide the best care to their patients.

Third Party Monitoring of Critical Environments

By investing in third party monitoring, healthcare systems are investing in having trained specialists in indoor air quality, HVAC engineering, and humidity control, monitor their building 24/7 remotely, provide expert advice on critical areas, as well as engineering services. This allows healthcare facilities management the ability to focus on other areas of their scope of work and meet compliance standards. BOS Technologies Third Party Monitoring solutions are providing healthcare systems with a second set of eyes, ears, and hands to get the job done right, give their patients the best care and treatment, and flatten the curve during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Whether or not you think COVID-19 is something to worry about, it’s very apparent that healthcare systems should invest in technology to monitor critical areas of their hospitals to prevent HAI’s and SAI’s, meanwhile protecting patients the best they can.