Easy to clean equipment is ally in hospitals’ surface contamination battle Philips Sparq ultrasound system is designed for easy cleaning featuring a sealed touch interface Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a hidden danger in hospitals According to a study cited by the WHO (World Health Organization) in their practical guide, “Prevention of hospital-acquired infections,” over 1.4 million people worldwide suffer from HAI at any given time.1 WHO estimates that of every 100 hospitalized patients, 7 in developed and 10 in developing countries will acquire at least one healthcareassociated infection during their hospital stay.2 In England, more than 300,000 hospitalized patients acquire an HAI every year.3 In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that each year, one out of every 20 hospitalized patients in the US will contract an HAI.4 Concern continues to grow – along with antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” As hospitals evolve and establish procedures to reduce contamination, bacteria also continue to evolve. In the United States, the CDC recently issued a call to action regarding carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE). Not only has this bacteria become resistant to carbapenem antibiotics, but it can transfer that resistance to other bacteria within the enterobacteriaceae family. CREs are deadly, killing up to half of the patients who develop CRE bloodstream infections. They are just one example of the increasing threat posed by antibiotic-resistant “superbugs.” 6 Typical hospital contamination levels • 75% of patient rooms are contaminated with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) • 69% of patients are contaminated with vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) • 42% of hospital personnel who touched contaminated surfaces became contaminated themselves, even in the absence o

The economic burden of HAIs • A CDC-sponsored study estimates that the annual cost of HSAs in American hospitals is between 35.7 billion and 45 billion dollars.7 • The annual cost of HAIs in Europe is estimated to be between 13 and 24 billion euros.8 • The British Parliament estimates that HAIs cost the British healthcare system 1 billion pounds a year.9 • Hospital-acquired infections cost Australia around $1 billion a year.10 Hands-on transmission from contaminated surfaces Scientific evidence indicates that contamination of surfaces in hospital rooms plays an important role in the transmission...

Sparq: A mobile ultrasound system designed for point-of-care environments As the adoption of ultrasound in point-of-care practice continues to grow, so does the need for equipment that meets the hygiene requirements of the hospital, today and in the future. Philips Sparq point-of-care ultrasound system was designed with those requirements in mind. 1. Sparq’s sealed, tempered glass control panel was designed to facilitate easy cleaning and protect the electronics from being damaged. The standard raised button interface has been replaced with an easy-to-clean, flat-surfaced control panel. 2. The...

References 1. G. Ducel, et al, editors, “Prevention of Hospital-Acquired Infections: 8. R. Douglas Scott II, “The Direct Medical Costs of Healthcare- A Practical Guide. Second edition,” World Health Organization Associated Infections in U.S. Hospitals and the Benefits of Prevention,” Department of Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response, 2002, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 2009, 2. “Health Care-Associated Infections Fact Sheet,” World Health 9. “Hospital Infection Rates in Developed Countries,” Organization, http://www.who.int/gpsc/country_work/gpsc_ccisc_fact_ Hospital...