Healthy hospitals

Hospitals struggle to keep patients healthy under increasing threats of infection while new regulatory expectations increase reporting and reimbursement hurdles. And it's harder than ever to make a profit or even break even. StrionAir products can help.

Combat infection rates and lower energy costs
at the same time

Physicians and facilities pursue positive outcomes for patients admitted with problems. It is heart-breaking to both the provider and the patient when those admitted to a hospital leave with a new condition, a hospital-acquired infection (HAI).

And hospitals struggle to make money. It isn't getting easier.

The cost of combating hospital-acquired, or nosocomial, infections rises every year, as the bugs get more drug-resistant. The Centers for Disease Control estimates the annual cost burden of HAIs at over $10 billion annually. MRSA, multiple-drug-resistant tuberculosis, and pneumonia all strike fear into patients' hearts.

The government has responded by raising the regulatory bar. The FDA now requires reporting of nosocomial infection rates. Medicare will not reimburse for conditions not "present on admission."

Facility infrastructure and management are a big part of the solution. Deploying air filters that capture high quantities of airborne pathogens and killing them in the filter is a low-cost and effective part of the solution.

Air quality goals — without the energy burden

Healthcare facilities, with around-the-clock operations, have among the very highest energy densities per square foot of any building.

When the higher goal is patient outcome, the facility must align to the mission. High-caliber air filtration typically brings a beefy energy burden; when that also comes with constant operation, it becomes even more expensive.

StrionAir filters, at up to MERV 15 efficiency, exceed hospital filtration standards of MERV 14, with much lower airflow resistance. The energy savings are very tangible.

Stopping vehicle fumes and helicopter exhaust

Noxious vehicle fumes present a bane to exposed facilities. When an air intake is near a loading dock, an emergency generator, or an emergency vehicle station, interior odors are often problematic.

Exhaust consists of both sooty particles and chemical vapors. While a gas-phase filter of some sort — activated carbon or potassium permanganate, for example — can remove the vapors, they are expensive to operate in terms of both energy efficiency and frequent replacements.

Fortunately, a substantial fraction — upwards of 75% — of vapor typically adsorbs onto soot particles. StrionAir Systems have been demonstrated to remove those particles with high efficiency, thereby mitigating fume odors. The added cost and burden of gas-phase filters can be eliminated.

If a case exists where complete gas-phase removal is desired, StrionAir filters placed upstream of activated carbon can extend their life substantially, lowering the cost burden.