Best Infection Prevention Products 2021
Newsweek, in partnership with the Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit that evaluates health care quality, compiles and publishes an ongoing series of ratings for healthcare facilities and products. We make selections and ratings using publicly available data, including information voluntarily submitted to the annual Leapfrog Hospital Survey and Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center Survey. We also have teams of experts and analysts review data and identify high performers.
The following is our second annual review of the best infection prevention products, highlighting companies whose products are most promising for helping patients and the healthcare workforce avoid infection. Over the last year of pandemic, issues of infection and safety became top-of-mind for almost everyone, not just healthcare professionals. That concern is likely to remain with us for some time even as the threat of COVID-19 seems to recede in the U.S and some other places.
To decide which products would make our list this year, a selection committee evaluated each product using four criteria: effectiveness, safety (to both patients and healthcare workers), successful real-world implementation and the stability of the company (to support future implementations).
When looking at safety and effectiveness, evaluations from the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency were considered, along with published research studies. We evaluated the quality of research studies demonstrating a product's effectiveness by looking at reproducibility, closeness between lab data/results and real-world application of the data/results, and closeness of fit between the choice of test or method of testing and what was being for tested for.
Case studies from hospitals and other healthcare facilities were used to evaluate real-world implementation. The stability of the company to support future implementations was based on public information about the company. We hope you find this ranking useful.
| Category | Company | Product | Product Application or Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disinfectant Solutions | Diversey | Oxivir TB | Oxivir TB is an aternative to traditional disinfectants that delivers fast acting, broad spectrum disinfection with enhanced cleaning power that is staff- and patient-friendly while being gentle on most surfaces. |
| Disinfectant Solutions | Halosil | HaloMist™ | HaloMist™ is a proprietary hydrogen peroxide disinfectant formula designed to kill 99.9999% of C. difficile spores, along with a broad range of other pathogens in infection-prone environments. |
| Disinfectant Solutions | Kinnos, Inc | Highlight Powder | Powder Colors disinfectant solutions can improve the fundamental use of basic cleaning solutions by front line environmental cleaning staff. It highlights bleach-based disinfectants to allow users to easily assess that a surface has been fully covered with disinfectant. |
| Disinfectant Solutions | Spartan Chemical | Diffense | Diffense is an EPA-registered, broad spectrum, cleaner disinfectant proven to kill Clostridium difficilespores. It is designed to be effective against a comprehensive range of harmful bacteria and viruses including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Norovirus and bloodborne pathogens. |
| Environmental Disinfectants | Allied Bioscience | SurfaceWise2 | SurfaceWise2™ is an EPA-approved, Always-On™ surface coating that continuously kills the bacteria and viruses that can cause healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), including SARS-CoV-2 and other microbes. SurfaceWise2™ is invisible, odorless, non-tacky, non-disruptive, and compatible with any surface. |
| Environmental Disinfectants | Altapure | AP-4 HLDS | The AP-4 ™ is an advanced ultrasonic product designed to deliver a dense cloud of sub-micron droplets or the high-level disinfection of large spaces such as those found in hospitals and burn units. |
| Environmental Disinfectants | Condair (AKA Nortec in North America) | DL Series Humidifier | The Condair DL Series hybrid humidifier relies exclusively on the advantages of both humidification methods of atomization and evaporation. This results in the sustainable resolution of key problems which can emerge when these technologies are used in isolation. |
| Environmental Disinfectants | EcoLab | Ecolab Hand Hygiene Program | The Ecolab® Hand Hygiene Compliance Monitoring System allows providers to record hand hygiene events by individual, holding each healthcare worker accountable for their compliance and providing actionable guidance for improvement. It helps deliver better patient outcomes and provide a safer working environment for staff. |
| Environmental Disinfectants | EcoLab | Ecolab OR Program | The Ecolab Operating Room (OR) Program provides a complete offering to help monitor and standardize processes, optimize infection control and decrease turnover time in the operating room. It helps to drive and sustain OR efficiency while improving cleaning effectiveness. |
| Environmental Disinfectants | EcoLab | Bioquell BQ50 | The Bioquell BQ-50, a mobile hydrogen peroxide vapor bio-decontamination system with wireless connectivity, can be used hospital-wide to eliminate nosocomial pathogens. It can simply and easily eradicate C. diff, MRSA, VRE, Norovirus, CRE and more. |
| Environmental Disinfectants | Synexis | Synexis Biodefense System | Synexis converts naturally occurring oxygen and humidity in the air to Dry Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2 or DHP™). DHP works continuously to reduce the levels of microbes in any type of facility. It is added to standard cleaning methods and helps reduce microbial contamination in air, on surfaces and in hard-to-reach areas of a room. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | Advanced UV Systems | UV Box | The UV Box can be used to clean cell phones in hospital settings. It delivers up to 99.995% disinfection of MRSA and C. diff, up to 99.999% disinfection of Norovirus as well as more than 250x the energy needed to disinfect Coronavirus in 55-Seconds. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | American Ultraviolet | UVC Operating Room Package | By using a series of strategically placed UVC sterilization fixtures, the American Ultraviolet UVC OR Package reduces HAIs and SSIs in the OR. It also helps eradicate MDRO's 24/7/365, protect patients and staff, improve terminal cleaning, and avoid unnecessary costs. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | HealthySole, LLC | HealthySole® PLUS | HealthySole® PLUS is a UVC product designed to kill microorganisms on the bottom of healthcare workers' shoes. Workers step on to the device, align their feet, and wait 8 seconds to acheive disinfection. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | Kenall Manufacturing | Indigo-Clean | Indigo-Clean is a clinically proven, patented ceiling light fixture that uses safe, visible light to disinect the air as well as hard and soft surfaces. It automatically, safely and continuously kills harmful backteria such as MRSA, C. diff and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza-A. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | Medical Illumination | VidaShield UV24 Overhead Air Purifcation System | VidaShield UV24 Overhead Air Purifcation System hides behind standard flourescent or LED ceiling lights to provide continuous ultraviolet protection against airborne pathogens. It combines an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) chamber and air circulating fans with an overhead ceiling light to allow for 24/7 operation. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | PDI | TRU-D Smart UVC | Tru-D is an automated, remotely-operated system designed to self-adjust to the size and content dynamics of a room to deliver the proper dose of UVC light energy to disinfect the room. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | PurpleSun | FMUV Shadowless Delivery (delivered via E300 and Space-1) | FMUV Shadowless Delivery are mobile devices that treat entire spaces or rooms for the purpose of rapid disinfection using focused-multivactor ultraviolet (FMUV) light-based delivery. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | Rensair | Hospital-grade air purification system | Rensair has been designed to incorporate a high power UVC light within the cylindric high quality HEPA13 filter, which causes the UVC light to constantly clean the HEPA13 filter resulting in a safer product. Using HEPA13 filters and UVC light it destroys more than 99.97% of airborne viruses (including coronavirus) & bacteria. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | Steril-Aire | Steril-Aire UVGI | Steril-Aire UVGI (Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation) are UVC solutions for air and surface decontamination. The systems are designed to irradiate the surfaces where biofilm and microorganisms grow. Steril-Aire UVGI systems can reduce airborne microorganisms by up to 99%. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | Surfacide | Helios | The Helios system utilizes a patented automated triple-emitter to provide UV-C energy to more exposed areas with power and efficacy. It helps to eradicate multidrug-resistant organisms including C. difficile and MRSA. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | UV Cleaning Systems | Whole room mobile units using UV cleaning system | UV Cleaning Systems operates mobile ultraviolet cleaning systems designed to continuously disinfect the air as well as hard and soft surfaces. High wattage output allows for decontamination of large areas in less time. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | Vital Vio | Vio Safe White Light Anitmocrobial | Vio Safe White Light Anitmocrobial Lighting technology is designed to kill gram negative and gram positive bacteria, bacterial endospores, yeast, mold and fungi. It has also been shown in inactivate and kill viruses. |
| Lighting Disinfectants | Xenex | Xenex pulsed xenon UV disinfection robot (not Mercury UV). | LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots is a user friendly robot that’s intensely pathogen deadly, capable of killing C. diff, MRSA, VRE and other MDROs in as little as 5 minutes. |
| Monitoring | 3M | 3M Clean-Trace | The 3M™ Clean-Trace™ ATP Monitoring system provides accurate, quantitative cleaning verification for routine quality control of endoscope reprocessing. |
| Monitoring | BioVigil | Hand Hygiene Solution | BioVigil is an electronic hand hygiene monitoring solution on a user-worn badge with a reminder sequence. The combination of reminders, including real-time cross-contamination alerts plus the awareness feature of a green, yellow, and red light, have been proven to increase hand hygiene hand hygiene activity by 44%. |
| Monitoring | Clean Hands - Safe Hands | Electronic hand hygiene monitoring tool | Clean Hands - Safe Hands is an electronic hand hygiene monitoring tool that includes sensors and real-time voice reminders, non-disruptive technology, fitness tracker-style performance goals, and a data-driven process that nurtures a culture of proactive HAI prevention. |
| Monitoring | EcoLab | Ecolab Patient Room Program | Ecolab’s environmental cleaning solutions for patient rooms provide a daily defense for infection control in hospitals against C. diff and other HAIs via a complete environmental hygiene program that sets standards for a clean, safe environment by blending technology, information, service and training. |
| Monitoring | General Sensing | MedSense Clear | MedSense Clear is a comprehensive electronic hand hygiene compliance solution focused on accurately measuring the WHO's Five Moments of Hand Hygiene. MedSense alleviates the burden of visual observation with a fully-automated solution that improves hand hygiene compliance and reduces the spread of HAIs. |
| Monitoring | GOJO | PURELL SMARTLINK™ Electronic Monitoring Solutions for Healthcare (also part of PURELL SOLUTION) | By seamlessly integrating with PURELL touch-free dispensers, SMARTLINK™ technology makes it easy to monitor staff performance by capturing multiple touch points and seamlessly converting real-time data into useable information that can be leveraged to provide accurate feedback to healthcare workers. |
| Monitoring | Hygiena | ATP Cleaning Verification System | The ATP cleaning verification system collects, analyzes and reports data to provide accurate results that can help a healthcare facility define and monitor a cleaning standard and prove the effectiveness of facility cleaning and infection prevention. |
| Monitoring | Masimo | Masimo Patient Safety Net™ | Masimo Patient Safety Net™ bedside devices provide noninvasive and continuous monitoring of oxygen saturation, pulse rate, respiration rate, total hemoglobin, and other clinically valuable measurements. |
| Monitoring | SC Johnson Professional | DebMed | The DebMed Electronic Hand Hygiene Compliance System is a clinical research-based, badge-free system that captures all hand hygiene events and is proven to deliver an accurate compliance rate based on the WHO 5-Moments for Hand Hygiene and CDC Guidelines. |
| Monitoring | Vitalacy | Vitalacy Automated Hand Hygiene Monitoring Solution | Vitalacy's hand hygiene monitoring technology continuously captures compliance and non-compliance events throughout a health care facility with real-time reminders at the point of care. |
| Other infection prevention products | Advanced Input Systems | Medigenic Keyboard and Mouse | The Medigenic Keyboard and Mouse is a medical grade, fully washable keyboard & mouse, with a patented time-based reminder to staff when it is time to clean the keyboard. They reduce keyboard cross-contamination, increasing patient and staff safety. |
| Other infection prevention products | Aqua-Tools | FILT'RAY 2G Point-of-use-filter | The FILT'RAY 2G Point-of-use disposable water filter provides a physical barrier to waterborne pathogen transmission, including legionella and pseudomonas, from water in healthcare facilities. |
| Other infection prevention products | Nozin | Nozin NOVA™ programs for implementation of Nozin® Nasal Sanitizer® antiseptic | Nozin NOVA™ programs in MRSA / MSSA colonization risk mitigation are clinically proven to help reduce risk of hospital acquired infections (HAIs), improve care and lower costs. NOVA™ programs guide facility implementation of Nozin® Nasal Sanitizer®, the leading product in daily nasal decolonization. |
| Surgical Disinfectants | 3M | 3M™ Skin and Nasal Antiseptic | 3M™ Skin and Nasal Antiseptic helps address the concerns about surgical site infections (SSI) caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Utilizing this intervention as part of a preoperative protocol helps to reduce the risk of SSI. |
| Surgical Disinfectants | Applied Medical | Alexis Protectors and Systems | Alexis wound protector/retractors maintain moisture at the incision site and reduce superficial surgical site infections following colorectal surgeries. Products are available in numerous configurations for use in a wide range of specialties. |
| Surgical Disinfectants | Ethicon | STRATAFIX™ Symmetric PDS™ Plus Knotless Tissue Control Device | STRATAFIX™ Plus Knotless Tissue Control Devices have been shown to inhibit bacterial colonization of a suture for 7 days or more, for protection against the most common organisms associated with surgical site infections (SSIs). |
| Surgical Disinfectants | Medtronic | TYRX | The TYRX™ Absorbable Antibacterial Envelope is a fully absorbable antibacterial envelope for use with implantable neurostimulators (INS) and cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED). The absorbable surgical mesh envelope has been used in more than half a million patients worldwide and contains two powerful antibiotics — minocycline and rifampin. It is designed to stabilize the device and reduce the risk of infection and infection-related costs. |
| Surgical Disinfectants | Prescient Surgical | CleanCision Wound Retraction and Protection System | The CleanCision Wound Retraction and Protection System is an irragating wound protection system used during surgery. It combines wound irrigation, protection and suction into an intuitive system that consistently and continuous clears harmful bacteria that may cause surgical site infections (SSIs). |
| Textiles, Coverings and Compounds | EOS Surfaces | EOScu Preventive|Biocidal Surface™ | EOScu (Cupron Enhanced EOS) is a EPA-registered Preventive|Biocidal Surface™. It continuously kills harmful bacteria within 2 hours of exposure, even after repeated contamination. It offers another layer of protection to help combat infections in any setting. |
| Textiles, Coverings and Compounds | CuVerro | CuVerro® copper | CuVerro copper is a bactericidal copper that comes in product forms of coatings, sheets & strips, bars and ingots, foils, rods and tubings. It offers a solid surface that is built to kill bacteria. |
| Textiles, Coverings and Compounds | Endurocide Infection Control | Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Disposable Hospital Curtain | Endurocide® Sporicidal Curtain Liquid works by coating hospital curtains with a biostatic polymer layer, which traps bacteria and viruses on the fabric, both preventing them from multiplying and killing them. It has shown to be effective for up to 2 years. |
| Textiles, Coverings and Compounds | LuminOre | Copper Touch | LuminOre Copper Touch is a cold-metalizing system that applies a smooth, seamless layer of real antimicrobial metal to any substrate, in any shape or size, delivering antimicrobial properties to a variety of materials and surfaces. |
| Textiles, Coverings and Compounds | Medline Industries | Prefilled SwabFlush Syringe with SwabCap | SwabFlush with SwabCap is a pre-filled saline flush syringe that includes a sterile disinfecting cap for protecting the needleless connector between line accesses. Using an integrated delivery system of a flush syringe and disinfection cap reduces bloodstream infections and treatment costs. |
| Textiles, Coverings and Compounds | ProSafe Products | Vestex | VESTEX® fabric is designed and constructed as active barrier protective apparel. VESTEX scrubs and lab coats are designed to minimize the risks associated with acquisition and retention of contaminants on staff uniforms. |
| Tubing disinfectants | Cantel Medical | Defendo single-use valves | DEFENDO Sterile Single-Use Valves solve the issue of reusable valve reprocessing by offering a single-use option that ensures sterile valves for every procedure. It is compatible with a variety of commonly used endoscopes. |
| Tubing disinfectants | ICU Medical | ClearGuard HD Antimicrobial Barrier Cap | ClearGuard HD Antimicrobial Barrier Cap is the first and only device that kills infection-causing bacteria inside a hemodialysis catheter hub to prevent catheter contamination. In so doing, it reduces central line-associated bloodstream infections. |
| Tubing disinfectants | Magnolia Medical Technologies | Steripath® Gen2 Initial Specimen Diversion Device | Steripath® Gen2 is clinically proven to reduce false positive blood culture results. Steripath mechanically diverts and sequesters the initial 1.5-2.0 mL of blood, the volume known to contain contaminants. Blood cultures are then collected through a second flow path, creating a closed vein-to-bottle collection system. |
| Tubing disinfectants | Medline Industries | ReadyPrep 2% CHG Cloth | ReadyPrep CHG is the largest Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) cloth on the market and is effective in reducing a broad spectrum of microorganisms on the skin for up to 6 hours. This reduces the risk of Surgical Site infections (SSIs) which can be costly and detrimental for patients. |
| Tubing disinfectants | Poiesis Medical | Duette | Duette is a dualballoon closed urinary drainage system. Working in harmony with the body’s natural defense systems against infection, the Duette™ has been designed to increase comfort by minimizing or eliminating bladder wall trauma. |
| Tubing disinfectants | Smiths Medical | Powerwand | The POWERWAND helps healthcare facilities implement a midline program that reduces central line days and reduces overall bloodstream and bacterial infections. |
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