Research Overview

Research shows that environmental surfaces in healthcare settings play a crucial role in pathogen transmission, leading to healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs), which have a considerable cost burden. Outpatient settings also pose significant infection risks. In the United States, millions of patients frequent outpatient facilities such as ambulatory surgical centers, endoscopy suites, community healthcare centers, hospital outpatient clinics, and physician offices annually. Over three-quarters of all surgeries in the country are performed in ‘outside hospital’ settings. Infection prevention and control (IPC) in outpatient settings is of huge concern as the shift from inpatient to outpatient settings increases rapidly.

Frost & Sullivan sections the study into two. The first section analyzes existing IPC solutions, segmented as surface disinfection technologies; patient, staff, and equipment tracking and monitoring technologies; and IPC robotic solutions. The second part studies how healthcare facilities can use non-clinical chemicals and materials for IPC in outpatient settings, such as antimicrobial paints in ICU walls to prevent nosocomial infections.