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Study Puts Westerly Hospital at the Top for Cleanliness
The Westerly Hospital
ranked among the top three cleanest hospitals according to results of a
formal study of healthcare environmental hygiene conducted by a leading
infectious disease expert. The
year-long, three-part study was conducted by Dr. Philip Carling, Director
of Hospital Epidemiology and Infectious Disease Specialist at Boston’s Carney
Hospital, and professor at Boston University’s
School of Medicine.
Using a new, highly
effective method for evaluating cleanliness, the study evaluated 38 U.S.
hospitals using a testing a highly effective method which involves a fluorescent
marker to target commonly touched surfaces in hospital rooms including door
knobs, toilet handles, telephone, etc.
A hand-held black light is then held over the surface to determine
whether the marked areas have been cleaned.
The first phase of the
study consisted of a baseline evaluation of 22 acute care hospitals. During the initial evaluation performed
by the Hospital’s Infection Control Manager, 609 surfaces within 42
patient rooms at The Westerly Hospital were confidentially marked and
then evaluated after a through cleaning by the hospital’s
Housekeeping staff. The Westerly Hospital received the highest
score of the 22 hospitals evaluated.
The second two phases
of the study were conducted over a nine-month period, and those results
put Westerly
Hospital within the
top three of the 38 Hospitals that participated in the study.
Deb Johnson, Infection Control Manager at The
Westerly Hospital noted “we are so very proud of our Housekeeping
staff and the exceptional job they do every day to keep our hospital
clean and sanitary for our patients, visitors, and staff. Most of our housekeeping staff our
long-term employees whose family and friends are patients. They take
great pride in their hospital and the vital role they play.”
Johnson also cited the excellent training their
Housekeeping staff receive as well as the fact that the Housekeeping
staff are employees of the Hospital, unlike most Hospitals whose cleaning
staff are contracted through cleaning companies.
John
Lidestri, Housekeeping Manager noted, “the main objective of the
Housekeeping Department is to consistently provide an environment
that aseptically clean and conducive to providing quality patient
care. It is through the dedication of the staff working in a team
effort. It gives me great pride
working with such a dedicated group of individuals.”
Other hospitals in Rhode Island that participated in the study were South County
Hospital, Newport
Hospital, Butler
Hospital, Landmark
Medical Center, Kent
Hospital, Miriam Hospital, and Women & Infants Hospital.
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