hospital

In 1991 the UK Audit Commission produced energy performance indicators for hospitals based on the type of care provided. However, an analysis of over I 00 hospitals throughout 1he United Kingdom has found the type of care provided to have relatively little effect on rhe energy performance of hospital . Although other factors influenced energy use to some degree, the major factor affecting performance was found to be the plan of the hospital, as this influenced the amount of mechanical ventilation required.

This field study was organised to track differential pressure relationships in critical care units of a metropolitan hospital. Maintaining design pressure balances is essential to control risk of airborne disease transmission within these units. the pressure differentials that exist between two patient isolation facilities (positive and negative) and their surrounding spaces were monitored continuously for one week.

A number of studies have shown that approximately 1 in 10 hospital in-patients will acquire a nosocomial infection (NI) '*).These infections are associated with significant mortality rates, and have a large economic impact on health care systems. A Department of Health (DoH) study estimated that in acute care hospitals in England 950000 lost bed days and financial costs off 111 million (1986 rates) were associated with NI '3).Through the use of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) lamps it ii possible to achieve a high degree of pathogen disinfection.

There is a risk that patients can catch a range of infections during any stay in a hospital. A recent UK Office of Health Economics report highlighted that 10% of in-patients contract a hospital acquired infection from one source or another. There are many sources of infection but one specific route is via the surgical wound during an operation. Bacteria can be carried from the source to the wound site by currents of air causing post-operative infection at a later date.