HAIs cause additional pain and suffering to patients who have come to hospital to get well. Infection will mean at best, a setback for recovery; at worst, severe illness in some cases resulting in death. Better patient outcomes are the first consideration, but it's also worth considering the cost to those providing care.  

Protecting precious healthcare workers from illness and reducing hospital stay times for patients, can significantly reduce running costs. A 100% infection free workplace should be the goal of every health care institution. 

"A new hard coating with antibacterial properties... has been shown to kill 99.9% of Escherichia coli bacteria when a white hospital light was shone on its surface to activate it" 

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The risks of transmission from person to person or via shared instruments and equipment are easily understood. More frequently underestimated are infection rates from the care environment. Studies found that patients put into hospital rooms previously occupied by someone carrying VRE, MRSA, C. difficile, or Acinetobacter, were 73% more likely to become colonized with the same bacteria.

HAI organisms are commonly transferred to surfaces via the fingers or air-borne droplets. They can stay alive on surfaces for weeks or even months. Bacterial hot spots include bed rails, door handles, floors, bed-frame lockers, mattresses, bedside tables, melamine surfaces, toilet seats, taps, remote controls and phones. 

A significant number of hospital-acquired infections occur due to inefficient disinfection of hospital rooms and surfaces, including stainless steel surfaces. 

This is by no means a problem confined to hospitals. Infections are frequently reported in other health-care settings such as cosmetic surgery centres, dental clinics and orthopedic clinics. Even where no invasive procedures are performed, the importance of maintaining a clean care environment cannot be underestimated.

Nanopac's whole room treatments provide long-term, environmentally friendly protection against surface bacteria. Where other forms of disinfection require repeated reapplication of chemicals, one Nanopac treatment lasts up to two years, continuously disinfecting the room whenever lights are on. 

In the past, infection was accepted as an uncontrollable complication, but many conscientious institutions have now shown that healthcare infections are an avoidable adverse event. Prevention of Healthcare associated infections is the responsibility of all those entrusted with the care of patients.