Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a persistent challenge for hospitals, impacting patient safety, length of stay, and overall cost of care. Traditional room-cleaning methods – largely dependent on manual processes – often fall short due to human variability, leaving high-touch surfaces vulnerable to residual pathogens.
To address this challenge, a hospital supported by TouchPoint Support Services implemented automated fogging technology as part of its terminal cleaning protocol in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) and adjacent stepdown unit. The goal: reduce human error, improve consistency, and significantly lower environmental bioburden.
Automated fogging technology was integrated with an EPA-registered hypochlorous acid (HOCl) disinfectant, to deliver whole-room disinfection after manual cleaning. Unlike manual or electrostatic spraying methods, the technology automates application and ensures proper coverage and wet time – key factors in effective pathogen elimination.
Over a two-week evaluation period, environmental samples were collected from high-touch surfaces across 20 discharge rooms. The results were compelling:
Importantly, these improvements were achieved with minimal impact to bed turnaround time, demonstrating that enhanced infection prevention can be integrated without disrupting hospital operations.
By removing variability from the disinfection process, automated fogging delivered a repeatable, reliable solution that significantly reduced surface contamination and helped lower the risk of HAIs. The implementation highlights the growing role of automated disinfection technologies in strengthening infection prevention programs and improving patient safety outcomes.
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