Human Response to Healthcare Environments

Infection Control and Human Response to Healthcare Environments

In my recent human response class, we looked at some interesting facts on HAI – hospital acquired infections.  I was amazed at the number of people that got acquired infection in hospitals.  The figure stands at 1.7 million people in the year 2002, around 4.5 people per 100 admissions, furthermore, 99,000 died from HAI.  In 2007, some 6.65 billion of dollars were spent fighting HAI - figures shown in a report by Jan Malkin (2010).  However, it was interesting to see how much money could have been saved just by preventing one person from HAI ($20,542 - $25,903).  Looking at those figures, I feel that, as designers we should look for ways to prevent and control the spreading of viruses within our healthcare environments. 

To tackle this problem, first we need to know how bacteria spread and what they need to grow from.  Those microorganisms can spread everywhere, such as through air, water and human contacts.  They need oxygen, food (dirt and moist) and a surface to survive.  Therefore, it is essential to keep those in mind when designing for infection control.

I remember some time ago, when Hong Kong was hit by an outbreak of the SARZ virus.  Hundreds of people were infected in a matter of days.  At that time, nobody knows how so many were infected in a short space of time, and as a result, people had to evacuate their homes to go to a safer place.  It was a truly frightening time for people of Hong Kong, as the virus was unknown at the time.  Later on, investigation conducted by experts shows that, the plumbing and ventilation systems were the main cause for the fast rate of spreading.  Because of the denseness of the apartment units, the virus would exit ones ventilation system and enter nearby units through openings.  Similarly, the virus spread in alike fashion through the plumbing systems.  For that reason, I see the importance of having controlled ventilation with high capacity filter and plumbing systems in our healthcare environment, as they could greatly reduce the spreading of bacteria through those systems.  Hence, to further control the spreading, room humidity should be controlled, as this would reduce the growth of microorganisms. 

Furthermore, materials with solid surfaces, such as stainless steel are better for reducing the growth of virus.  Therefore, designers should apply materials of solid surfaces to areas where infection control are required.  In those spaces, designers should also consider the ease of cleaning, as regular cleaning is essential in killing the viruses.  In addition, incorporating biocide to the finishes could further reduce the growth of the bacteria. 

Finally, it is just as important to educate patients the importance of self-cleanliness in combating HAI.  Hand sanitizers and sinks should be placed at visible locations to promote hygiene throughout the healthcare environments.