Battling the Infection Control Issue in Healthcare Environments

Healthcare environments are working hard to reduce the spread of infection. Smart design choices can support and strengthen these efforts.

In recent years, the healthcare system has improved many aspects of patient and staff care. But one challenge remains: healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 25 patients in U.S. hospitals gets at least one HAI. Even worse, about 75,000 patients die from these infections each year. In Europe, over 4 million patients catch an HAI every year. Around 37,000 of them die because of it.

Healthcare design has started to support infection prevention. Private patient rooms, antimicrobial surfaces, and more hand-washing stations help. So do smart placements of gloves, masks, and other disposable items. A Contract Magazine article by Buie and others also lists more design steps to reduce infection. These steps should be part of the planning process.

Healthcare Design Strategies to Fight Infection

• Place medical equipment and design patient headwalls to reduce clutter. This helps prevent cross-contamination.
• Include writing surfaces in patient rooms. This helps avoid placing paperwork on contaminated surfaces.
• Add enough storage for equipment. This keeps spaces tidy and easier to clean.
• Avoid design elements like reveals, edges, and suspended surfaces. These areas are harder to clean and more likely to hold germs. This is especially important in med-surg units, ICUs, and PACUs.
• Choose materials that resist bacteria. Solid surfaces with no joints are easier to keep clean.

Designing with infection control in mind can reduce cleaning demands and costs. General cleaning helps, but many surfaces in hospitals are hard to clean or often missed. Items like curtains and blinds are especially tough for cleaning staff. These teams already have to manage a large number of high-touch surfaces.

Limiting patient contact with staff and other patients can also reduce infection. Solutions like privacy glass let staff observe patients through closed doors. This limits exposure and lowers the chance of spreading infection. It can also reduce the need for deep cleaning between visits.

Good design plays a key role in fighting infection in healthcare settings. New hospitals are starting to use these strategies. But older buildings also need updates to meet today’s standards. Whether it’s a new project or a renovation, designers should always consider infection control from the start.