Maintaining Patient Satisfaction During Healthcare Renovation Projects

Ubiquitous distribution of airborne pathogens has the potential to produce severe disease in immunocompromised patients posing a serious health risk whenever there is disruptive activity, such as a renovation project. Ironically, erecting ICRA Containment Dust Barriers, which are essential in protecting patients prior to any disturbance of the area, can also have a negative effect on patient satisfaction scores.

Patient Satisfaction is the #1 Priority in Hospital Construction and Renovation

The very act of building a sufficient ICRA containment wall that will meet, or exceed ICRA Class IV requirements is time-consuming, disruptive, noisy and ironically, dusty. Often, it is essential to erect very temporary plastic sheeting to quarantine the newly created airborne particulates that are generated from building the actual ICRA Containment wall. And when that phase or project is completed, the newly built containment wall must be destroyed and removed, thereby potentially creating more disturbances to patients – compromising Patient Satisfaction.

86% of respondents in the latest Hospital Construction Survey indicate Patient Satisfaction as the #1 Driver/Priority to the Projects:

“Hospitals today are more mindful of design elements that can affect their HCAHPS scores, including noise reduction, privacy and personal controls at the bedside, the survey respondents said. More than half of respondents said they use noise-reduction construction materials to improve the patient experience.” – Hospital Construction Survey 2016

Mitigating Negative Impacts of Renovation

To help mitigate the negative impact of building ICRA Containment Barriers, many contractors are turning towards a modular, prefabricated hard barrier System (like STARC Systems) instead of building traditional metal stud, sheetrock walls that will ultimately be discarded to a landfill. Telescopic panels of varying widths can be wheeled/carted into the job site, connected and erected quietly, quickly and without disturbing patients nor healthcare employees. An installation of 100’ can be accomplished in under one hour. And while deployed, some systems will not only block the visibility of an unsightly renovation site, some will also reduce noise coming from the site due to the use of a sound attenuating foam core. All of this while appearing a high gloss, finished, permanent wall and simultaneously exceeding ICRA Class IV requirements.

The upfront costs of purchasing or renting such a system are mitigated by the time savings associated with deployment and breakdown, not to speak of the fail-proof methodology of installing correctly while ensuring an airtight environment.

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