Miss Melanie Grigg1, Mr Steven Delides
1Ecosafe International, Greenfields, Australia
For healthcare facilities across Australia, implementing a water quality sampling program according to AS4187 requirements may have revealed previously undetected issues. Through encountering water quality results that exceed AS4187-stipulated limits, many healthcare organisations have experienced the challenges implicit in devising response protocols that effectively deal with the problem. Particularly amongst Infection Control staff, there is a perceptible concern that there is no clear plan regarding appropriate remedial actions in these instances.
Through engagement with widespread healthcare facilities, Ecosafe has gained exposure to the varied problems that arise in the absence of water quality incident response protocols. In contrast, the confidence and clarity gained from devising robust response protocols, with buy-in from all key stakeholders, is transformative. We would like to share key learnings, raise industry standards and assist healthcare facilities to combat issues they are facing.
It is evident that crucial factors in successful incident response programs include:
- assignment of explicit roles and responsibilities;
- inclusion of all relevant stakeholders, such as Maintenance / Engineering and Infection Control, in an incident response protocol workshop that allows clear communication of responsibilities with defined battery limits;
- a step-wise approach that encourages risk-based decision-making.
In bringing together industry-wide learnings, we can shift away from the ad-hoc nature of water quality incident response protocols found at so many facilities currently. This has the potential not only to help staff to sleep better at night, but ultimately to improve patient welfare by ensuring more effective practises for safe reprocessing of reusable medical devices.
Biography: Melanie is a Healthcare Specialist for Ecosafe International. Originally studying Biology in the UK and going on to work as a researcher in Molecular Biology at the University of Western Australia, she now specialises in water quality results interpretation and investigations within hospitals, management of water quality programs and risk management.