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Knowledge Repository

A complete, user-friendly database of healthcare design research references MoreLess about the Knowledge Repository

The Knowledge Repository is a complete, user-friendly database of healthcare design research references that continues to grow with the latest peer-reviewed publications. Start with our Knowledge Repository for all of your searches for articles and research citations on healthcare design topics. Access full texts through the source link, read key point summaries, or watch slidecasts. Expand your search and find project briefs, interviews, and other relevant resources by visiting our Insights & Solutions page.

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Displaying 1 - 20 of 23

405 nm light technology for the inactivation of pathogens and its potential role for environmental disinfection and infection control

Author(s): Maclean, M., McKenzie, K., Anderson, J. G., Gettinby, G., MacGregor, S. J.
Added October 2019

Long-term efficacy of a self-disinfecting coating in an intensive care unit

Author(s): Tamimi, A. H., Carlino, S., Gerba, C. P.
Intensive care units (ICUs) provide care to patient popIntensive care units (ICUs) provide care to patient populations that are often particularly vulnerable to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), leading researchers and designers alike to investigate how the surfaces of objects can be treated to reduce the presence of HAI-causing organisms.
Key Point Summary
Added May 2018

Persistence of nosocomial bacteria on 2 biocidal fabrics based on silver under conditions of high relative humidity

Author(s): López-Gigosos, R., Mariscal, A., Gutierrez-Bedmar, M., Mariscal-Lopez, E., Fernández-Crehuet, J.
Added May 2016

Nebraska Biocontainment Unit perspective on disposal of Ebola medical waste

Author(s): Lowe, J. J., Gibbs, S. G., Schwedhelm, S. S., Nguyen, J., Smith, P. W.
Added May 2016

Comparison between mixed and laminar airflow systems in operating rooms and the influence of human factors: Experiences from a Swedish orthopedic center

Author(s): Erichsen Andersson, A., Petzold, M., Bergh, I., Karlsson, J., Eriksson, B. I., Nilsson, K.
Added May 2016

Effectiveness of improved hydrogen peroxide in decontaminating privacy curtains contaminated with multidrug-resistant pathogens

Author(s): Rutala, W. A., Gergen, M. F., Sickbert-Bennett, E. E., Williams, D. A., Weber, D. J.
Added January 2016

Preparing an ICU room to welcome a critically ill patient with Ebola virus disease

Author(s): Pasquier, P., Ficko, C., Mérens, A., Dubost, C.
Ebola virus disease is a viral hemorrhagic fever that spreads through direct contact with the body fluids of an infected animal or human. Contamination may also occur through contact with items that were recently contacted by infected bodily fluids. No spread of the disease through the air has been documented. As no specific treatment or vaccine for the virus is currently available, specially coordinated medical services are necessary to control outbreaks.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2015

Persistence of microorganisms on common hospital surfaces

Author(s): Neely, A. N.
Added December 2015

Barriers to Infection Control due to Hospital Patient Room Factors A Secondary Analysis of Focus Group and Interview Transcripts

Author(s): Patterson, E. S., Murray, J., Park, S., Sanders, E. B.-N., Li, J., Umar, R., Sommerich, C. M., Evans, K. D., Lavender, S. A.
Added November 2015

Viral contamination of aerosol and surfaces through toilet use in health care and other settings

Author(s): Verani, M., Bigazzi, R., Carducci, A.
Aerosol and surface contamination are significant to the transmission of viral infections in hospitals. The contamination of surfaces like door handles, toys, banisters, fabrics, flushing handles on toilets, etc., can occur through direct contact with an infected material or indirectly through unwashed hands or settling down of large aerosol droplets.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2015

Environmental viral contamination in a pediatric hospital outpatient waiting area: Implications for infection control

Author(s): D'Arcy, N., Cloutman-Green, E., Klein, N., Spratt, D. A.
Many viruses found in the healthcare environment are known to survive for long periods of time on inanimate objects or in the air. Pediatric healthcare environments are particularly susceptible to viral infections. Alluding to other studies where work surfaces, doors, and other touch surfaces were shown to be contaminated by virus, this study aims to find out if common touch sites in a pediatric healthcare environment can be contaminated with potentially infectious viruses.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2015

Exploring Safety and Quality In a Hemodialysis Environment With Participatory Photographic Methods: A Restorative Approach.

Author(s): Marck, P., Molzahn, A., Berry-Hauf, R., Hutchings, L. G., Hughes, S.
The authors indicate that hemodialysis units can be fraught with numerous safety issues related to medication errors, lapses in communication, patient falls, equipment issues, infection control, etc. These issues can be critical in high-acuity units. This study used qualitative methods to identify existing and potential safety issues in a hemodialysis unit in a tertiary care hospital in Canada.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2015

Exploring Perceptions of Designers and Medical Staff in South Korea about Design Elements for the Elder-Friendly Hospital

Author(s): Kim, D., Lee, J. H., Ha, M.
The elderly population is growing around the world and so is the geriatric patient population. The authors indicate that despite the fact that the elderly will soon be the primary users of healthcare services, healthcare facilities are not designed for the elderly. In this study, designers and medical staff were asked to rate the importance of 33 design elements in the context of an elder-friendly hospital.
Key Point Summary
Added August 2015

A numerical investigation of vertical and horizontal laminar airflow ventilation in an operating room

Author(s): Sadrizadeh, S., Holmberg, S., Tammelin, A.
Laminar airflow (LAF) ventilation or parallel distribution system is the most commonly-used ventilation system in operating rooms (ORs). There is, however, much uncertainty about better efficacy of vertical or down flow LAF and horizontal or lateral flow LAF in controlling infections in ORs.
Key Point Summary
Added March 2015

Hospital ward design and prevention of hospital-acquired infections: A prospective clinical trial

Author(s): Ellison, J., Southern, D., Holton, D., Henderson, E., Wallace, J., Faris, P., Ghali, W. A., Conly, J.
The authors note the growing recognition of the relevance of facility design as a significant factor contributing to patient safety. They point to several factors in the environment of a hospital that may be potentially conducive for the transmission of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), antibiotic-resistant organisms (AROs), in particular.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2014

Creating spaces in intensive care for safe communication: a video-reflexive ethnographic study

Author(s): Hor, S.-Y., Iedema, R., Manias, E.
According to the authors, the design of the built environment is a relatively recent foray for patient safety research. They refer to different research studies that report that the physical environment of healthcare facilities affects patient safety.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2014

Reduction of healthcare-associated infections in a long-term care brain injury ward by replacing regular linens with biocidal copper oxide impregnated linens

Author(s): Lazary, A., Weinberg, I., Vatine, J.-J., Jefidoff, A., Bardenstein, R., Borkow, G., Ohana, N.
Due to its antibacterial, antiviral, and fungicidal properties, copper has been widely used for centuries as a biocide. Microorganisms resistant to copper are extremely rare. Recently, methods have been developed for embedding copper oxide particles into textile products, thereby giving them antimicrobial and anti-mite properties, and in some cases, advanced wound-healing abilities. Consumer products featuring copper oxide such as sheets, diapers, and pillowcases have been proven completely safe to humans through numerous studies, with no adverse health reactions on record.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2014

Field evaluation of a new point-of-use faucet filter for preventing exposure to Legionella and other waterborne pathogens in health care facilities

Author(s): Baron, J. L., Peters, T., Shafer, R., MacMurray, B., Stout, J. E.
Waterborne pathogens exist in hospital water distribution systems in spite of different disinfection methods and can potentially cause hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in patients. The authors refer to previous studies which indicated the ineffectiveness of disinfecting methods in the complete removal of Legionella pathogen from water fixtures. This, they emphasized, called for the use of additional interventions like point-of-use (POU) filters, especially for safeguarding high-risk patients.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2014

Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections through Hand Hygiene

Author(s): Ellingson, K., Haas, J. P., Aiello, A. E., Kusek, L., Maragakis, L. L., Olmsted, R. N., Perencevich, E., Polgreen, P. M., Schweizer, M. L., Trexler, P., VanAmringe, M., Yokoe, D. S.
Added November 2014

Accuracy of a radiofrequency identification (RFID) badge system to monitor hand hygiene behavior during routine clinical activities

Author(s): Pineles, L. L., Morgan, D. J., Limper, H. M., Weber, S. G., Thom, K. A., Perencevich, E. N., Harris, A. D., Landon, E.
Added November 2014