By Healthcare Facilities Today

NAPERVILLE, Ill.- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System has recently selected Phigenics, LLC, to provide ongoing smart water management services for its facilities. 

This partnership is part of an ongoing and successful collaboration between Phigenics and one of the nation's largest VA medical centers. For the last six months, Phigenics has worked with VA Pittsburgh to develop one of the most rigorous facility water surveillance and management programs in the country. To date, and as a direct result of these aggressive risk-reduction strategies, VA Pittsburgh has not identified a case of health-care acquired Legionella pneumonia in more than one year.

"Phigenics smart water management services delivered to VA Pittsburgh are based on the principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) process," said Tony Dallmier, Ph.D., Regional Manager for Phigenics. "VA Pittsburgh has very complex water systems across its health care campuses. Phigenics worked with a cross functional Water Management Team at VA Pittsburgh to fully develop, complete and implement the HACCP program, which was customized to meet the health care system's unique needs. VA Pittsburgh is now successfully implementing this evidence-based and scientific program and collaborating with Phigenics to validate and verify that the program is working effectively."

"Phigenics works with many of the leading brands in healthcare, hospitality and retail delivering industry best practices in water management," said Bill McCoy, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer of Phigenics. "After working with VA Pittsburgh now for over six months, I am very pleased to report that VA Pittsburgh is implementing best practices for preventing disease from waterborne pathogens in building water systems. They are also now establishing a strong role as a leader in healthcare building water system management. We look forward to working with them on an ongoing basis to ensure their water is safe and that the veterans receiving their healthcare services are properly protected."

Between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires' disease in the U.S. each year and death can occur in 5 to 30 percent of cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Legionella bacteria are found naturally in the environment, usually in warm water. The World Health Organization estimates the number of annual cases in Europe at around 10,000 and the total global number of cases is not currently known.

About VAPHS

VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System is a part of the Veterans Health Administration and one of the largest and most progressive VA medical centers in the country. VA Pittsburgh serves more than 67,000 veterans annually and is comprised of two main patient care campuses—University Drive in Pittsburgh's Oakland area and H.J. Heinz in nearby O'Hara Township—as well as five community-based outpatient clinics.

About Phigenics

Phigenics is an innovative provider of Smart Water Management services to leaders in facility, engineering and sustainability management, infection prevention, and environmental health and safety. Clients include world-leading brands in healthcare, hospitality, government, higher education, retail, and manufacturing. Our water management services are comprehensive, covering all water systems processed within facilities, and they are Smart, including unbiased expert support, intelligent cloud software and patented testing innovations. Phigenics Analytical Services Laboratories are certified as proficient in the Environmental *Legionella*Isolation Techniques Evaluation (ELITE) program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are EPA-NELAP certified for the analysis of drinking water.