Crothall Healthcare Selects 3M Clean-Trace for Infection Control Verification
Crothall Healthcare, a premier provider of support services to healthcare clients, announces its preferred partnership arrangement with 3M to kick off its enhanced approach to infection control. Crothall Environmental Services teams will use a hand-held 3M Clean-Trace NG Luminometer to measure ATP (adenosine triphosphate) bioluminescensethe resulting reaction of organic material on the ATP swabon small surface areas. Testing a series of identified high-touch areas such as light switches and sink faucets, will immediately reveal if disinfection practices are effective. 3M flexible data trending software is also supplied to determine trending within the results.
While the use of ATP monitors in healthcare facilities is not new, Crothall is the first contract cleaning provider to build this level of measurable verification into its standard quality assurance program. "Providing the 3M Clean-Trace ATP inspection for our clients represents a significant investment in quality assurance," said Crothall President Tom Racobaldo. "We believe this technology will allow our Environmental Services teams to provide a decisive advantage to their hospitals' infection control efforts."
Rich Feczko, Crothall's national director of system and standards, spearheaded the company's research for a valid infection containment test through a product review committee composed of specialists in environmental services. A testing period at a few hospitals validated the product's effectiveness, and Feczko was cleared to begin initial implementation of the 3M Clean-Trace System. While Luminometers and ATP testing kits are being rolled out to onsite teams, Crothall's systems and standards are being fully adapted to integrate the testing procedure.
"We have hard-wired the ATP high-touch tests into our Quality Audit," said Feczko, "and embraced this technology as a means of measuring the effectiveness of our standardized cleaning processes." Training, testing procedures, and scoring thresholds for satisfactory outcomes have been clearly outlined, and information will be reported to regional management via TeamCoach, Crothall Healthcare's proprietary Web-based software.
AHE Exchange Summit 2025 Brings EVS and Infection Prevention Experts Together in Columbus, Ohio
June 9th 2025The Association for the Health Care Environment (AHE) is set to host its largest event of the year—Exchange Summit 2025—from June 8 to 11 in Columbus, Ohio. With over 600 environmental services (EVS) professionals expected to attend, this year’s conference focuses heavily on infection prevention, interdepartmental collaboration, and education that empowers frontline health care support leaders to improve patient safety and operational efficiency.
Far UV-C Light Shows Promise for Decontaminating Medical Equipment in Clinical Settings
June 4th 2025Manual cleaning gaps on shared hospital equipment can undermine infection control efforts. New research shows far UV-C light can serve as a safe, automated backup to reduce contamination in real-world clinical settings.
Unmasking Vaccine Myths: Dr Marschall Runge on Measles, Misinformation, and Public Health Solutions
May 29th 2025As measles cases climb across the US, discredited myths continue to undercut public trust in vaccines. In an exclusive interview with Infection Control Today, Michigan Medicine’s Marschall Runge, PhD, confronts misinformation head-on and explores how clinicians can counter it with science, empathy, and community engagement.
Silent Saboteurs: Managing Endotoxins for Sepsis-Free Sterilization
Invisible yet deadly, endotoxins evade traditional sterilization methods, posing significant risks during routine surgeries. Understanding and addressing their threat is critical for patient safety.
