Infection control, a constant worry for hospital administrators and clinical staffs, is heightened when the hospital is undergoing a major construction project. Avoiding contamination of their facilities and medical equipment while construction work is going on—say, for a new addition or a major upgrade—can be particularly difficult when the hospital’s equipment sterilization unit is located anywhere near or in the path of the construction work.
About 18 months ago, Atlanta-based STERIS, a provider of technologies for surgical and critical care, contamination control, and infection protection, introduced Mobile Sterilization Solutions, a mobile sterile-processing department that can support a hospital’s sterilization systems during construction or in the event of a disaster.
The 53-foot-long unit can be driven to the hospital site on a tractor trailer and dropped off. Fully deployed, the unit expands to a width of about 34 feet.
Its V-PRO 1 low-temperature sterilization system is set up to process large volumes of heat- and moisture-sensitive devices. Its AMSCO 400 Series medium-steam sterilizer can sterilize heat- and moisture-stable materials in packs up to 25 pounds and still meet current compliance guidelines.
The mobile unit uses CS-iQ sterile processing workflow management software, which can manage documents and records electronically and provide status reports on equipment-monitoring results and daily maintenance notifications.
Steris’s Chris Antonucci says four units are currently in operation. Some hospitals have deployed the units for as long as a year.
Read about more innovations from BD+C's 2014 Great Solutions Report.
Related Stories
Designers | Oct 1, 2024
Global entertainment design firm WATG acquires SOSH Architects
Entertainment design firm WATG has acquired SOSH Architects, an interior design and planning firm based in Atlantic City, N.J.
Higher Education | Sep 30, 2024
Studio Gang turns tobacco warehouse into the new home of the University of Kentucky’s College of Design
Studio Gang has completed the Gray Design Building, the new home of the University of Kentucky’s College of Design. In partnership with K. Norman Berry Associates Architects, Studio Gang has turned a former tobacco warehouse into a contemporary facility for interdisciplinary learning and collaboration.
Warehouses | Sep 27, 2024
California bill would limit where distribution centers can be built
A bill that passed the California legislature would limit where distribution centers can be located and impose other rules aimed at reducing air pollution and traffic. Assembly Bill 98 would tighten building standards for new warehouses and ban heavy diesel truck traffic next to sensitive sites including homes, schools, parks and nursing homes.
Laboratories | Sep 27, 2024
Traditional lab design doesn't address neurodiverse needs, study finds
A study conducted by ARC, HOK, and the University of the West of Scotland, has revealed that half (48.1%) of all survey respondents who work in laboratory settings identify as neurodivergent.
Laboratories | Sep 26, 2024
BSL conversions: A cost-efficient method to support high-containment research
Some institutions are creating flexible lab spaces that can operate at a BSL-2 and modulate up to a BSL-3 when the need arises. Here are key aspects to consider when accommodating a rapid modulation between BSL-2 and BSL-3 space.
MFPRO+ News | Sep 24, 2024
Major Massachusetts housing law aims to build or save 65,000 multifamily and single-family homes
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey recently signed far-reaching legislation to boost housing production and address the high cost of housing in the Bay State. The Affordable Homes Act aims to build or save 65,000 homes through $5.1 billion in spending and 49 policy initiatives.
Designers | Sep 20, 2024
The growing moral responsibility of designing for shade
Elliot Glassman, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, CPHD, Building Performance Leader, CannonDesign, makes the argument for architects to consider better shade solutions through these four strategies.
Mixed-Use | Sep 19, 2024
A Toronto development will transform a 32-acre shopping center site into a mixed-use urban neighborhood
Toronto developers Mattamy Homes and QuadReal Property Group have launched The Clove, the first phase in the Cloverdale, a $6 billion multi-tower development. The project will transform Cloverdale Mall, a 32-acre shopping center in Toronto, into a mixed-use urban neighborhood.
Codes and Standards | Sep 19, 2024
Navigating the intricacies of code compliance and authorities having jurisdiction
The construction of a building entails navigating through a maze of regulations, permits, and codes. Architects are more than mere designers; we are stewards of safety and navigators of code compliance.
Higher Education | Sep 18, 2024
Modernizing dental schools: The intersection of design and education
Page's John Smith and Jennifer Amster share the how firm's approach to dental education facilities builds on the success of evidence-based design techniques pioneered in the healthcare built environment.
