HHM Compatibility Special Edition Feb/Mar 2020 HHM Compatibility Special Edition Feb:Mar 2020 | Page 3

from the editor Nooks and Crannies Causing Havoc with Surfaces and Equipment h ealthcarehygienemagazine Kelly M. Pyrek editor & publisher [email protected] A.G. Hettinger, CPA president & CFO Patti Valdez art director Mary Johnson N ooks and crannies. If you’re old enough, you may remember those classic Thomas’s English Muffins commercials from the late 1980s, where breakfast-eaters could be seen savoring how the butter/ marmalade/topping of choice seeped into all of those tiny caverns in the dough and trapped them until they were subsequently devoured. Fast forward to 2020, when nooks and crannies are back in the spotlight, but not in a good way. Cracks, crevices and other types of fractures in the materials from which surfaces and medical equipment are manufactured harbor microorganisms and are nearly impossible to clean and disinfect correctly and effectively. It’s akin to the current issue in healthcare with medical devices such as endoscopes that are complex and poorly designed from the standpoint of cleanability and ease in following manufacturers’ instructions for use. In this cover story for this special edition, you’ll hear the perspectives of clinical experts, biomedical engineering, value analysis, consulting and manufacturing, as they discuss the challenges of the compatibility of surface materials with chemical cleaners and disinfectants. As the experts from this cover story expressed many times, we must find the happy medium between killing the bugs and killing the materials/equipment – they are not mutually exclusive, and it requires communication and collaboration between all stakeholders. From a financial perspective, healthcare facilities are spending hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars replacing damaged surfaces and equipment. But equally and perhaps even more importantly, failures from degraded materials can contribute to adverse patient outcomes. We hope you’ll find the information in this special edition eye-opening, informative, and compelling enough to share with anyone affected by these compatibility issues. We also hope you’ll become empowered to be part of the solution, as we demand better for patients, healthcare professionals and the community. Until next month, bust those bugs! Kelly M. Pyrek Editor & Publisher [email protected] www.healthcarehygienemagazine.com • Compatibility Special Edition February/March 2020 sales and marketing specialist [email protected] Linda Lybert business development consultant J. Christine Phillips customer service manager Send inquiries to: [email protected] Healthcare Hygiene magazine is published monthly by Keystone Media Inc. 8925 Ridgeline Boulevard, suite 106, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. Free digital subscriptions available at www.healthcarehygienemagazine.com for U.S., Canada and other foreign subscribers. Copyright © 2019 Keystone Media Inc. All rights reserved. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material. Advertisers, and/or their agents, assume the responsibility for all content of published advertisements and assume responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on the advertisement. Editorial contributors assume responsibility for their published works and assume responsibility for any claims against the publisher based on the published work. All items submitted to Healthcare Hygiene magazine become the sole property of Keystone Media Inc. Editorial content may not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. 3