2010 Press Releases / News
2010-05-26 HEALTHCARE-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS CAN BE PREVENTED One such germ, Acinetobacter, is resistant to all types of antibiotics, and has been found festering in hospitals, particularly high-volume facilities in the New York metro area. Pollack recounts the germs’ resilience, and tragically, the unsuccessful efforts by physicians to rid patients of the fatal infections these germs caused. What the reporter does not explore, however, is how these relatively new germs can fester in hospitals, and withstand tried and true sanitary methods as well as antibiotics. According to the Centers for Disease Control, every year 99,000 Americans dies of healthcare acquired infections (HAI’s) while 1,700,000 patients recover. HAI’s also cost taxpayers—through higher Medicare, Medicaid and insurance costs—$45 billion each year, a staggering cost for something preventable. These infections rank as the fourth-leading cause of death in America, behind only cancer, heart diseases and strokes. If we are going to save lives and save taxpayer dollars, we must practice better preventive methods in hospitals to kill these life-threatening germs before they infect patients. While the germs have advanced, sanitizing has more or less stayed the same. Today’s surgeons still adhere to germ-fighting techniques developed over a century ago by pioneering physician William Stewart Halsted who introduced rubber gloves to the operating room, and pushed his colleagues to vigorously wash their hands before surgery and to sterilize surgical instruments. While effective for decades, these century-old techniques deserve an upgrade. One new method which has recently attracted attention in epidemiological research is micro misting technology that makes commonly-used sanitizing solvents into a fine airborne mist that quickly and effectively distributes disinfectant in hospitals, care facilities and the vehicles which transport the sick and dying. The germ-killing mist can permeate crevasses and hidden surfaces where super-germs are untouched by the standard and far less effective spray-and-wipe method. This decontamination method is safe, inexpensive and effective. Our leaders, both in hospitals and in government, can lead us forward toward saving lives and tax dollars by investing now in methods that kill germs before they harm us, rather than treating people after they’re infected. Mr. Pollock mentions the need to remind physicians and healthcare workers to keep their hands and medical instruments clean. But, the focus of his story—developing new advanced antibiotics—while absolutely necessary, begs the question: Why not kill the germs before they reach patients’ bodies? Kurt Grosman is the CEO of Zimek Technologies based in Tampa, Florida. Zimek Technologies, LLC is America’s foremost expert and leader in the area of rapid decontamination processes to kill deadly viruses and bacteria. HEALTH NEWS FLORIDA http://www.healthnewsflorida.org/index.cfm/go/public.analysis/article/17015 Back to Headlines |
