Slide Show: Evidence Gaps for Best Methods of Cleaning Hospital Rooms
Tray tables, bed rails, light switches, and toilets: All are common vectors for swapping germs between patients and healthcare workers. While a new systematic overview in this week’s Annals of Internal Medicine points to several promising cleaning tactics of these “high-touch surfaces,” there’s a lack of evidence as to which is the most effective at reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Few studies measured patient outcomes or focused on newer technologies, and even less compared cleaning tactics against one another - important gaps to fill as the U.S. healthcare system works to reduce the 75,000 HAI-related deaths that occur annually. The systematic review was led by Craig A. Umscheid, MD, MSCE, an assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and senior associate director at the ECRI Institute-Penn Medicine Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-funded Evidence-Based Practice Center (EPC), Jennifer Han, MD, MSCE, an assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology, and Brian Leas, MS, MA, and Nancy Sullivan, research analysts in the ECRI-Penn AHRQ EPC, and revealed major gaps in existing evidence for the best practices for cleaning hospital room surfaces to prevent HAIs, including Clostridium difficile, MRSA and VRE.
Streamlined IFU Access Boosts Infection Control and Staff Efficiency
June 17th 2025A hospital-wide quality improvement project has transformed how staff access critical manufacturer instructions for use (IFUs), improving infection prevention compliance and saving time through a standardized, user-friendly digital system supported by unit-based training and interdepartmental collaboration.
Spring Into Safety: How Seasonal Deep Cleaning Strengthens Hospital Infection Control
June 13th 2025Rooted in ancient rituals of renewal, spring-cleaning has evolved from cultural tradition to a vital infection prevention strategy in modern hospitals—one that blends seasonal deep cleaning with advanced disinfection to reduce pathogens, improve air quality, and protect patients.
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.
