Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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Easy-to-clean custom wall art could decrease hospital acquired infections
Hospital acquired infections are a rising concern. While experts debate HAI sources, it is universally accepted that increased rigour and frequency of surface cleaning is part of any prevention plan.
Often supported by donors, many hospitals now have art initiatives that include wall art. Disinfectants can damage canvas prints and murals. While walls are not disinfected as frequently as high-touch surfaces, periodic cleaning is necessary.
Headwall panels in patient rooms and displays in surgical/ICU rooms require more frequent cleaning. Glass-covered wall art facilitates cleaning, but is often not preferred due to added weight, cost, and glare.
Healthcare-facility owners increasingly employ eco-friendly materials given sustainability initiatives and economic incentives via building certifications like LEED. This favours bioplastics over petroleum-derived materials and non-toxic materials over harmful substances like formaldehyde and PVC/vinyl.
Most wall art is selected from existing collections. Designers prefer creative themes (e.g., teddy bears and stethoscopes in pediatric wings, local sport/artist photos in lobbies, etc.), though custom options are often unavailable or expensive.
Can you find eco-friendly, glassless wall art that can withstand cleaning, incorporate any custom image, and do so economically? Yes - BioSurf addresses these factors. BioSurf prints any custom-digital image onto a bio-based, eco-friendly film protected by a transparent topcoat; it is bonded directly to drywall, integrated within wall panels, or fabricated into alternatives to canvas prints and pictures. BioSurf is resistant to steel wool and cleaners like ammonia, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and acetone, making it a promising new decorative surfacing solution for the healthcare market.
"We love our BioSurf headwall panels featured in each of our new patient rooms," says Jackie Hamilton, director of the University of Kentucky Arts in HealthCare Programme. "BioSurf enabled us to incorporate artwork and photos of local venues within a very durable and easy-to-clean surface."
Marianne Miller of HOK, one of the world's leading architecture & design firms, says of the material: "Our healthcare-facility client insists on PVC-free and eco-friendly materials. We were happy to find BioSurf which provided a perfect solution for integrating custom images into a decorative panel.
"We used natural images in panels behind nurse stations and reception areas. The client also requested a graphic feature at each patient room entry, which we provided by placing a unique graphic panel next to the door, colour coded per floor. The images turned out beautifully, and the project was a great success."
Using BioSurf, the creative works of photographers, artists, and designers can increasingly enhance the ambience of hospitals, paediatric facilities, doctors' offices, nursing homes, dental practices, educational & multi-purpose facilities, nurseries, and more. BioSurf can also be used on high-touch surfaces such as doors, over-bed tables, bed rails, and furniture.
24th March 2016