Last spring, CBC aired an eye-opening episode of
Marketplace titled "
Dirty Hospitals" in which it was revealed that the Canadian Healthcare system sees the highest rate of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) in the developed world. Even more recently a bacterial outbreak at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital brought the issue of HAIs back into the limelight. Shocking, to some, but somehow expected if we take a closer look at how the government has been allocating its funds within our healthcare system. With many different factors going into the budgetary considerations for Canadian healthcare spending - an aging generation of baby boomers, an increase in general population - it is easy to see that the decision on how best to spend our healthcare dollars has led to a few less-than-desirable outcomes (such as hospital acquired infections). The budget for our healthcare system sees funds being allocated in ways that the government feels will benefit the majority of its constituents. However, as the "Dirty Hospital" story uncovered, the very
first and very primitive manner of containing the spread of disease and illness - and overall promoting a better healthcare environment - is being entirely overlooked: our hospitals are not being properly cleaned and maintained.
During the Marketplace episode, a hidden camera crew conducted a "glo-gel" test in which a harmless gel (only visible under UV light) was applied to a variety of surfaces throughout various Canadian hospitals. Twenty-four hours later when the camera crews returned, nearly all of the gel still remained on the various surfaces throughout the hospital. The surfaces had not be properly cleaned - if at all.
Some may say that the Canadian government needs to re-prioritize the amount of money that is apportioned to the cost of hospital cleaning, but what if we take a step back and truly look at the root of the cause? What if we build hospitals that are not susceptible to spreading diseases in the first place? Would that not offset the cost (and then some) of foreseeable issues with the spread of infectious diseases?
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), the past two decades have seen an increase in the share of healthcare spending on drugs and physicians and a decrease in the share spent on hospitals. This proportional decrease in spending on hospital facilities may account for the fact that HAIs have moved from the 11th leading cause of death to the 4th leading cause of death in Canada over the past two decades. A startling figure - and some Canadian infection control experts have estimated the annual cost of treating HAIs at $1 billion.
So how can we foreseeably prevent HAIs and the cost that is associated with them? Beyond the obvious answers of hand washing and proper hospital maintenance, a study done in 2006 found that among various hospital surfaces which were tested for MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus - a resistant strain of staph bacteria), the type of surface was the most relevant factor in controlling the rate of this bacteria. That said, the selection of materials in the design/building/remodelling phases could significantly affect the ability to control the future spread of HAIs in our hospitals.
If we were to re-prioritize the importance of proper building materials in our hospitals, we could see a dramatic change in the spread of HAIs. Despite their higher initial cost, solid surfacing materials - such as DuPont™ Corian® - are rapidly gaining credibility as the go-to material for healthcare applications. Just ask Dr. Lynn Stevenson, Vice President, People, Organizational Development, Practice and Chief Nurse at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, BC - a hospital which has utilized DuPont™ Corian® as a key surfacing material throughout their recently-renovated facility.
"Protecting our patients and staff from hospital-acquired infections is critical to delivering safe, high-quality care." As proof that their decision on surfacing materials was conducive to promoting a safe hospital environment, Corian® has already been recognized as meeting all of the 13 characteristics of a preferred surface as defined by the 2011 CSA Z8000 Healthcare Facilities Standard. And, though the outright cost of installing solid surface is higher than a material like laminate, the long-term benefits and cost savings significantly outweight the initial cost. With properties such as imprenetrability, reparability and durability - not to mention being easy to maintain - materials such as these, were they to be more commonly used in healthcare applications, could see the decrease in HAIs and the cost associated with this growing epidemic.
In revisiting the Marketplace episode, we can see the outright shock and concern that arose after discovering that our hospitals - the one place where hygiene and sterilization are of the utmost importance - are becoming hotbeds for the spread of unnecessary disease. So maybe - just maybe - if we vocalize the importance that lies in the construction of our hospital enviornments, we can begin to reduce the pandemic that is "dirty hospitals".
Canadian Institute for Health Information, "Health care spending to reach $192 billion this year." Last modified 10/28/2012. Accessed May 16, 2012.
http://www.cihi.ca/CIHI-ext-portal/internet/en/Document/spendingandhealthworkforce/spending/RELEASE_28OCT10.
Makison, C., and J. Swan. "The Effect of Humidity on the Survival of MRSA on Hard Surfaces." Indoor and Built Environment. 15. no. 85 (2006): 85091.
https://ibe.sagepub.com/content/15/1/85.full.pdf (accessed May 16, 2012).
