ST. PAUL, Minn., Sep 10, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Ecolab Inc. announced today it is partnering with the Joint Commission's
new Center for Transforming Healthcare to support a study to improve
hand hygiene. The goal of the study, which will be conducted at eight
leading hospitals and health systems, is to eliminate hand hygiene as a
cause of healthcare associated infections (HAIs).
According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 100,000 deaths
occur each year in U.S. hospitals due to HAIs. Proper hand hygiene is
the single most effective method for preventing these infections.
"Ecolab shares the Joint Commission's vision and commitment to reduce
HAIs and improve patient safety," said Paul B. Chaffin, vice president,
Ecolab Healthcare North America. "Poor hand hygiene and improperly
cleaned patient rooms can elevate the risk of infection, so we have
designed comprehensive infection prevention solutions, integrated with
training and support, to optimize overall performance and drive
continuous improvement."
Chaffin added, "Through our products and programs, Ecolab can help
deliver a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for patients and
healthcare providers."
The Center for Transforming Health Care is a private-sector solution for
improving patient safety and quality by eliminating preventable
complications such as healthcare associated infections, medication
errors, injuries and avoidable surgical complications, and associated
costs that are endemic in health care delivery today. The Center's
participants, who include the nation's leading hospitals and health
systems, use a proven systematic approach to analyze specific breakdowns
in patient care, discover their underlying causes and then develop
targeted solutions that solve these complex problems.
An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Joint Commission is the
leading standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. It
evaluates and accredits more than 16,000 health care organizations and
programs in the United States. Since 1951, the commission has maintained
state-of-the-art standards that focus on improving the quality and
safety of care provided by health care organizations.
With sales of $6 billion and more than 26,000 associates, Ecolab Inc.
(NYSE: ECL) is the global leader in cleaning, sanitizing, food safety
and infection prevention products and services. Ecolab delivers
comprehensive programs and services to foodservice, food and beverage
processing, healthcare, and hospitality markets in more than 160
countries. More news and information is available at www.ecolab.com.
(ECL-C)
SOURCE: Ecolab Inc.
Ecolab Inc.
Jennifer Kirscher, 651-293-2846
Copyright Business Wire 2009