Poll Reveals Materials Managers Believe They Contribute to Hospital Infection Control

CARY, Ill. -- A recent opinion poll found that hospital materials managers believe they contribute to hospital-wide efforts to reduce hospital-acquired infections. Results showed that 91 percent of responding materials managers align with their organizations infection control policies, and 78 percent said clinical value largely influences purchasing decisions. The poll was conducted by Sage Products Inc. at the Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM) conference, held in July in Anaheim, Calif.

Hospitals are looking across entire care processes to control infection, including the supplies they choose to use on patients, said Scott Brown, senior vice president at Sage Products, Inc. The goal is to empower clinicians with the tools they need to stop or control infection. We share the same goal by developing products that add clinical value and help clinicians provide the best care possible for their patients.

The New England Journal of Medicine reports that between five and 10 percent of patients admitted to U.S. acute-care hospitals acquire one or more infections, and exposure risk has steadily increased in recent decades. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 90,000 people die each year from hospital-acquired infections.

Now more than ever, materials management staff and clinicians must work together with other key hospital areas to improve patient safety, said Anna Bandy, contract administrator for OSF Healthcare System in Peoria, Ill. Communication is the only way we can select products that bring the most value to our patients and staff. Teamwork gets results.

Of the 192 total poll respondents, 64 percent said that clinician input is always solicited when evaluating new products; only two percent reported that clinical input is never requested. Clinical evidence, value analysis team results and clinical best practice were ranked in order as important factors that drive purchasing decisions.

Since 1971, Sage Products has developed innovative, disposable healthcare products trusted by healthcare professionals worldwide. The company has a core belief in preventionthat evidence-based interventions will lead to improved outcomes. Sage is pioneering the drive toward interventional patient hygiene with its industry-leading Toothette® oral care and Comfort Personal Cleansing® skin care brands. These advanced hygiene products make it easier for busy nurses to deliver essential patient care. Sages ultimate goal is to help clinicians improve patient safety and outcomes by addressing risk factors for skin breakdown and healthcare-associated pneumonias.

Source: Sage Products