NewGenn® Systems Approach

All the components in a computer system need to be compatible for best performance, a concept known as a systems approach. The same applies to infection control products.

Infection control is a complicated and diverse field so few busy hospital staff can be expected to have a full understanding of the technical aspects at all levels. For example an Infection Control Nurse will have an excellent understanding of how particular products are received on the ward, but it would be na?ve to expect that nurse to fully understand the chemistry on which every product used in the hospital was based. The same applies to decision makers in procurement, pharmacy, occupational health, patient groups and unfortunately even the supply companies.

NewGenn? believes the onus falls on suppliers of infection control products to ensure a viable systems approach by offering a complete range of compatible products. This philosophy is new to the infection control field.

For decades it has been common practice to use cleansing hand washes containing anionic detergents in conjunction with antimicrobial hand washes containing chlorhexidine. The fact that this is common practice all around the world means it has become "best practice". But anionic detergents inactivate chlorhexidine which represents a classic systems failure.

A good example is Hibiscrub, an excellent hand sanitiser introduced many years ago by ICI and subsequently sold around the world. On the label was a clear warning that the key chemical ingredient in Hibiscrub was incompatible with the types of ingredients most commonly used in cleansing hand washes. However hospitals continue to use Hibiscrub in combination with cleansing hand washes that clearly have the ability to inactivate Hibiscrub.

Two options arise. The suppliers of Hibiscrub could provide a compatible cleansing hand wash which they have now done to support an old established brand name. Alternatively a more effective modern replacement for Hibiscrub could be introduced in conjunction with a compatible cleansing hand wash, something NewGenn? have done in response to new market needs that have arisen since Hibiscrub was introduced.

The NewGenn? Systems Approach is critically important is all areas where cleaning is followed by disinfection. Flexible endoscopes must be cleaned before being disinfected but many hospitals still use cleaning products that can inactivate the disinfectant. Floors and surfaces are also relevant so the cleaning detergent should be compatible with the chosen disinfectant. Selecting products from suppliers who use a proven integrated systems approach in which the cleaning product ensures maximum effectiveness from the disinfectant provides both the medical establishment and patients with the greatest level of confidence.

Three elements of a full Systems Approach need to be considered; the individual products within the system need to be mutually compatible, all the components of the system need to be used all the time and any minisystems within the larger system must all be used. A good example is a hospital. Within the overall infection control Systems Approach all the products must be of the same compatible chemistry to allow them to work together.

Within the mini-system of hands the rub, wash or scrub must be used in conjunction rather than hoping that just one of the products will perform all the tasks. And the different mini-systems must all be used all the time. Hoping the hand-minisystem will break the infection cycles when the environmental mini-system is not used will result in continued failure. The hospital mini-systems that need to be in constant operation are hands, environment, equipment and patients. Failing to address any one will result in overall failure.

Returning to the computer analogy might help. Using the keyboard without having the processing unit running would result in very little.