Stopping Germs.

Saving Lives.

Join us in preventing the spread of infections through surfaces.

Latest News & Work

EVENT

Surfaces Matter 2021: Collaboration for Change

Join HSI for a free collaborative virtual event that brings together industry, academia, science, regulatory, and healthcare service sectors to explore issues that are crucial to reducing the transmission of pathogens via contaminated surfaces.

ARTICLE

A Closer Look at Soft-Surface Contamination & Aerosolization

While the COVID-19 pandemic has helped raise awareness around the transmission of pathogens via aerosolization, there is still a knowledge gap and lack of dialogue around the aerosolization of pathogens via soft surfaces.

NEWS

Case Study: Surface Disinfection Incompatibility with Medical Devices Creates Potential Patient Risks

This in-depth case study identifies gaps and makes recommendations of multi-modal solutions to mitigate issues surrounding surface disinfection incompatibility and its risks to patient care.

TAKE ACTION

Healthcare Industry Medical Device Selection Survey

Help HSI collect data for use in a new white paper that will identify and address the issue of medical device damage due to chemical exposure, especially from cleaning and disinfection agents in the healthcare setting.

Surfaces can transmit microbes that cause deadly infections and are a serious threat to our health.

people get healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) per year

people die yearly from HAIs and many more live altered lives that require ongoing medical care

1 out of every 25

patients will acquire an HAI during their hospital stay

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs):
Are infections that patients can get in a healthcare facility while receiving medical care that is completely unrelated to what they are being treated for.

We develop sustainable solutions to stop germs in their tracks. Join us!

Members

Our membership program gives you exclusive access to our institute resources, free on-demand webinars, and member-only discussion forums.

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Webinars

Our on-demand webinars address how contaminated surfaces contribute to the spread of microbes that cause deadly infections and how this can be prevented.

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Case Studies

Real-world scenarios that examine the root causes of HAI transmission via surfaces and our findings on how these problems can be successfully addressed.

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Join the cause to prevent infections spread by contaminated surfaces.

Most HAI prevention guidelines focus on cleaning and disinfection and compliance with infection prevention protocols. Absent from these efforts, however, is evaluating whether or not surfaces can actually be cleaned and disinfected using hospital-grade disinfectants.

The Healthcare Surfaces Institute is committed to closing these gaps in knowledge and practice. Our organization understands all aspects of the problem and provides the best path forward in addressing this overlooked issue.

Surprising Facts About Disinfecting Surfaces

Fact #1

There are many different types of surface materials and textiles that cannot all be cleaned and disinfected the same way.

Fact #2

Microbes cannot be seen! Yet, many cleaning and disinfection decisions are made based on whether surfaces are visibly soiled.

Fact #3

Infection prevention research focuses on more effective cleaning but omits exploration of surface compatibility with cleaning and disinfecting agents.

Fact #4

Rough and damaged surfaces support microbial attachment and biofilm formation.

Fact #5

There are many different types of surface materials and textiles that cannot all be cleaned and disinfected the same way.

Fact #6

There are no standard testing requirements for surface materials or products to validate they can be effectively cleaned using standard EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants.

On-Demand Webinars

Our on-demand webinar program provides multi-faceted access to our educational content and experts.

Challenges of Disinfection of Soft Porous Surfaces in Healthcare Environments

Survival and Inactivation of Viruses on High-Touch Environmental Surfaces: Relevance to Countering the Spread of SARS-CoV-2

Be a part of our research.

New survey: Healthcare Industry Medical Device Selection, Cleaning and Disinfection Practices

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Healthcare Surfaces Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; all donations are tax-deductible. Copyright © 2023 Healthcare Surfaces Institute. All rights reserved. Surfaces Matter™ is a trademark of Healthcare Surfaces Institute. 

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