Sustainable Infection Prevention Practices in Facility Management

Facility Management Journal is the flagship publications of the International Facility Managers Association (IFMA), the largest organization of its kind. The current issue of FMJ focuses on best practices for global sustainability strategies and features a thought leadership piece authored by Brian Spada, EvaClean’s Area Vice President Mid-Atlantic and Acute Care Lead. Brian has been instrumental in the system-wide implementation of the PurExcellence Program at NYU Langone Health, which has contributed to higher levels of sustainability as well as to reductions in HAIs.

NYU Langone Health Study Confirms Efficacy of PurTabs NaDCC Disinfectant

New York University Langone Health published a major study in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) assessing the efficacy of sporicidal disinfectants against C. diff and C. auris that proved using PurTabs NaDCC disinfectant resulted in the lowest bacterial colony counts on surfaces.

Over the course of an 18-month period, EvaClean worked closely with Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Michael Phillips, along with environmental services (EVS) and building services teams to implement the study at two NYUL hospitals with a total of 1082 beds.

Brian Spada, EvaClean Area Vice President Mid-Atlantic and Acute Care Lead said, “Dr. Phillips and the NYUL staff placed an extraordinary amount of trust in our team, which enabled us to be on the floor daily. Our team is still on the units at NYUL every week and is continuously educating staff. In fact, EvaClean’s training program is now part of NYUL’s new hire process.”

A primary goal of the study was to assess the adequacy of surface disinfection in reducing contamination. Three sporicidal chemical disinfectants were selected with minimal toxicity and surface damage profiles to determine efficacy for routine use in the healthcare setting: Electrolyzed water (EW), peracetic acid/hydrogen peroxide (PAA/H202), and NaDCC, EvaClean’s PurTabs disinfectant. After phase one of the study revealed PurTabs to be the most effective chemical, phase two compared application using a two-step process of microfiber cloths followed by electrostatic sprayer on all patient room surfaces versus cloth alone.

The results of the study proved PurTabs was the best sporicidal disinfectant as it produced significantly lower colony counts compared to PAA/H2O2 and EW. When compared to mopping/wiping, application with the electrostatic sprayer produced even greater results leading to the conclusion that PurTabs applied with standard microfiber cloth and mop plus an electrostatic sprayer was the most effective chemical disinfectant method.

“As a strategic partner, we put the onus on ourselves to help facilitate improvements across the board,” said Rich Prinz, Global Vice President of Sales at EvaClean. “Our PurExcellence Healthcare Program not only provides products but, customized protocols and continuous training as well.”

Before year’s end, NYUL is planning to roll out the EvaClean program in as many hospitals as possible. In addition, a follow-up peer-reviewed paper discussing the clinical results including reductions in C. diff and C. auris is set to be published in early 2023.