Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110

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Infection control products come into the spotlight for healthcare facilities

Technology within healthcare facilities has had to significantly improve to reduce infections. Despite the advancements, though, the US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention estimates that on any given day, one in 31 hospital patients has a Healthcare-Acquired Infection.

Thus, infection control products have come into the spotlight in order to keep hospital facilities documented and maintained, as well as to protect the safety of the public.

Practitioners may use or prescribe antibiotics, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial products or drugs to control infectious diseases on site. However, the demand for efficient and effective infection control devices and technology is growing in an effort to potentially eliminate these incidents. According to data compiled by Data Bridge Market Research, the global infection control market was valued at USD 15.2 Billion in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6% during the forecast period from 2017 to 2024.

Modern healthcare facilities employ various types of devices and procedures to treat patients and help them recover. However, during the use of these certain procedures, such as catheters or ventilators, patients may develop an infectious disease. These HAIs include central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and ventilator-associated pneumonia. In particular, cases such as UTIs and noroviruses can be highly contagious. Hospitals work towards to effectively suppressing diseases itself and prevent possible spreading.

"As infection prevention challenges evolve-such as emerging infectious organisms and resistance-healthcare organisations must focus on preventing hospital-acquired infections and ensuring better patient outcomes," argues Lena Browning, principal-accreditation and regulatory compliance at Compass Clinical Consulting. "To achieve these goals, infection prevention professionals must be involved in all decisions affecting the delivery of patient care. Healthcare is ever-changing, and innovative approaches are critical as we look to the future of infection prevention."

A great deal of headway is being made, as these two examples show:

PCT announced this week that it has sold and is currently installing a large volume C-104 Hydrolyte system to an existing customer, H2S Safe Treat of Oklahoma, US. H2S requested and has agreed to an option to purchase four more C-104 systems at the agreed pricing schedule on or before 15th September, 2019. H2S currently operates a lower volume C-102 system purchased in July 2018 for the generation of fluids used in its proprietary treatment process which removes environmentally and commercially harmful Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) from crude oil and natural gas. H2S is expanding the beta field-testing of its proven treatment and decontamination processes as it moves toward commercial scale operations.

H2S CEO Aaron Vogt, stated: "We are very pleased with the performance of the PCT equipment and systems in our initial Beta field tests. Those tests are being expanded from single to multiple well and subsequently to multiple field operations. The reliability, technical support and ease of operation of PCT systems convinced us to name PCT as our systems supplier for the expanded field-testing program and commercial roll-out. This is why we have agreed to option the purchase of four additional systems to provide the increasing volume of fluids we will require over the coming months."

PCT's primary business mission is to profitably provide state-of-the-art electro-chemical activation equipment, disinfecting fluid solutions and PCT's patented tracking system to hospitals and other facilities for the documentable remediation of HAI's from organisms such as Clostridium difficile (C. diff.), MRSA, VRE, CRE, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas, as well as to sell ECA fluid solutions to agricultural markets for the remediation, control and suppression of microbial contamination and disease of certain commercial crops. Its patented systems and human-safe products provide next-generation cleaning, sanitising, disinfecting and decontaminating fluid solutions to the ever-present problems of microbial infection and infestation.

The company's primary fluid solution, branded Hydrolyte, is an EPA registered 'hospital-level' disinfectant effective against common healthcare pathogens such as Tuberculosis (TB), HIV-1, Hepatitis C, Norovirus, Rhinovirus, Influenza A, Candida albicans, and more; food processing bacteria including E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella; and organisms of veterinarian concern such as parvovirus, distemper and Bordetella. Its Annihilyzer infection control systems boast patented RFID material tracking technology, electrostatic smart applicators, on-site automated ECA generators, and Green Seal standards containing stringent performance, health, and sustainability criteria, are ideal for hospitals and healthcare facilities; its SurvivaLyte unit is a portable, small volume generator with applications such as disaster recovery, emergency preparedness, remote on-site needs, farm and ranch, and personal use.

Owens & Minor is a global healthcare solutions company with integrated technologies, products, and services aligned to deliver significant and sustained value for healthcare providers and manufacturers across the continuum of care. The company announced last year that it had completed the acquisition of the surgical and infection prevention business of Halyard Health, for approximately USD 710 Million in cash, subject to certain adjustments as provided in the Amended and Restated Purchase Agreement.

With the acquisition of the Halyard S&IP business, a recognised leader in its segment, Owens & Minor takes a significant step in transforming its business into a global healthcare solutions provider. This transaction expands Owens & Minor's reach into new markets around the world, develops its presence in the medical products segment, and opens new channels for growth. The acquisition will also add greater scale to Owens & Minor's existing own-brand product portfolio and help to expand the company's addressable markets.

28th February 2019