Who is an EIP Expert and Why Do You Need One?

Who is an Environmental Infection Prevention expert, and why do you need one?

The Covid-19 pandemic, among many other things, has brought to light the need for a portfolio of solutions that help keep the public safe. This portfolio includes technologies and innovations in cleaning and disinfection, indoor air quality, water quality, hand hygiene, PPE, waste solutions, and more. Unfortunately, we have seen vague or conflicting guidelines between state and federal agencies with limited direction on how best to operationalize these critical innovations and infection prevention solutions.

As we’ve seen during the pandemic, one tactic has been to throw products and labor at the problem with the hope that it will be enough.  Unsurprisingly, this approach often creates excessive costs and ineffective results. How do you know your efforts are even effective or addressing the areas with the greatest risk?

In healthcare, education, sports, or corporate facilities, many experts are involved in decisions concerning public/patient/student/employee health. Unfortunately, these experts and individual departments don’t always work in unison or have the necessary tools and information to make a meaningful impact. Oftentimes you will find differing products, procedures, or guidelines utilized from one department to another, and little to no data is shared. So, the question remains: Who is your expert that you turn to for help?

A new breed of expert is required to help bridge the knowledge gap and help support this multidisciplinary effort – an Environmental Infection Prevention (EIP) expert.  EIP experts have a fiduciary responsibility to their customers. They ensure access to the best research and evidence-based solutions, as well as complete, comprehensive, and sustainable Environmental Infection Prevention programs catered to the needs of their client’s facility. EIP experts aren’t driven by selling any singular product; they act as an end-to-end partner committed to implementing best-in-class solutions and procedures that establish the cleanest and safest possible environment amidst any environmental circumstances. 

The EIP expert takes an end-to-end approach to environmental infection prevention. We look at every potential source of contamination in a given environment (surfaces, air, hand hygiene, PPE use, waste, etc.). We then indentify key infection prevention failure points and build complete programs catered to the facility’s specific needs. We understand the processes, procedures, and the exact labor required to achieve the goals of the program. We work with all departments within facilities so that there is a clear understanding on what needs to get done, by whom, when, and how often to achieve the goal of preventing the spread of infections through the environment. Finally, we establish new processes in place to ensure the continued success of the program.

When evaluating your EIP expert, look for the following.

Do they:

• Conduct a comprehensive facility assessment for cleaning & disinfection across all departments
• Assess the exact labor required to address the needs and balanced work schedules for cleaning and disinfection departments
• Conduct biological testing to evaluate current failure points and work to validate new technologies
• Evaluate hand hygiene compliance and competency
• Evaluate the use of disinfectants, supplies, and equipment for all departments
• Determine regulatory compliance
• Link various departments through one common dashboard that reports all key metrics
• Create and execute a management plan addressing all areas of concern, including post-implementation monitoring to ensure the program is successful and sustainable

The time for verified accountability and reliability has come. To learn more about how an EIP expert can benefit your business or facility, please contact us.