Reduces Hospital Acquired Infections

Medical ICU components outfitted with

antimicrobial copper

Medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) "Copper Room" showing only three of the six copper components used in the clinical trial: Bed Rails, IV Pole, Over-the-Patient Table. The other three components, not shown, are the arms of the visitor's chair, the nurse's call button and the data input device, such as a computer mouse

Based upon a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  study** published in 2009, two million people acquire an infection each year while in a US hospital, resulting in 100,000 deaths!  This number translates to 1 in 20 hospitalized individuals getting infected secondarily as a result of their stay - a hospital acquired infection (HOA).  HOAs result in extended hospital stays or returns to the hospital because of then need for additional  treatment.  All too frequently, patients die from the HOA and not from the problem for which they were originally hospitalized.  The  annual treatment cost of hospital acquired infections is $45 billion.  

Bacterial contamination of the hospital environment originates from a variety of sources, most outside of the control of hospital personnel.  Standard "best practices" used to clean and decontaminate hospital rooms are very effective but are only be done intermittently. 

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Copper alloy surfaces are uniquely able reduce contamination! 

• Copper alloy surfaces kill bacteria and viruses continuously 24/7/365 without intervention by hospital personnel.  

• When bacteria* come in contact with the copper alloy surfaces shown in the photo above, 99.9% of viable bacteria are killed within two hours. 

• The copper alloy surface's antimicrobial activity continues to work despite repeated contamination and without cleaning.

It is reasonable to hypothesize that a reduction in the amount of viable bacteria leads to a reduction in infections.  This premise was tested in a clinical trial conducted in the medical intensive care units three hospitals.***  The clinical trial demonstrated a 58% reduction in hospital acquired infections in patients treated in "Copper" medical ICU rooms that contained only 6 items made from copper alloys, comprising about 7% of the surface area.  The above photo shows some of the copper components used in a medical ICU of one the three hospitals where the clinical trial was conducted.  

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