Operating room energy efficiency efforts must be balanced against stricter infection control monitoring, according to an article on the FacilityCare website.
Surgical procedures are a leading cause of hospital acquired infections. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 22 percent of infections are directly related to surgery.
At the same time, operating rooms are getting bigger to allow for modern medical equipment and to help ensure staff and patient safety.
This places greater emphasis on the need for effective environmental controls in operating suites. It also potentially raises the cost of maintaining environmental quality unless greater efficiency is achieved, the article said.