Buying an air purifier for medical institutions

An air purifier in a medical setting may provide a host of benefits for both patients and staff. Read below to find out more about the many ways that an air purifier can be helpful in protecting all those who enter a healthcare facility.

What is a medical air purifier?

Many types of healthcare institutions can fall under the umbrella of ‘medical establishments’ such as:

• Hospitals
• General surgeries or doctor’s offices
• Nursing homes
• Mental health facilities
• Physiotherapy and rehabilitation practices
• General radiography and ultrasound establishments
• Pharmacies

When spending time in any of these places, people who require care can easily spread disease. This is particularly concerning since many individuals at these institutions are immunocompromised or suffering from diseases of their own, making them particularly vulnerable. In fact, nosocomial infections (diseases that are contracted in medical establishments) are a major public health concern and affect more than 100 million patients per year on a global scale. These viruses or bacteria can lead to a variety of problems that impact not only the patient but can lead to massive financial burdens on our health systems by causing prolonged hospital stays and high rates of mortality¹. Furthermore, nosocomial infections are often antibiotic resistant, complicating treatment². However, as you will read in the section below, infection is not the only factor causing poor air quality in a medical facility.

SEE OUR PRODUCTS

Medical air filters are effective due to their clean air delivery rate (CADR). This is a metric that measures the efficiency of an air purifier in removing contaminated airborne particles based on the volume of clean air produced per minute. A medical air purifier has a higher CADR than a standard air purifier, measuring between 400 to 500 m3 (14,100 to 17,600 cubic feet) per hour. Read more about CADR in our Buying Guide.

Air purifiers for healthcare settings are designed mainly for professional usage, but they can also be useful for certain individuals suffering from respiratory conditions, severe allergies, or are looking for extra protection from viruses or bacteria and other airborne particles or pollutants. An air purifier with a medical-grade HEPA filter can help ease symptoms of respiratory diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Factors contributing to unhealthy air in medical establishments

As mentioned above, germs (bacteria and viruses) contribute significantly to unhealthy air in medical institutions, making a medical air purifier a crucial addition to a medical office.

However, many other biological particle pollutants exist including mould or mildew caught in floor tiles and organic matter. Additionally, pests like cockroaches and rats, and dust and allergens (pollen, pet dander tracked in by patients) trapped in rugs and carpets can all lead to higher rates of infectious disease. These things can also aggravate pre-existing conditions, especially respiratory conditions like asthma and allergic rhinitis, potentially triggering asthma attacks, trouble breathing and chest tightness, fever, and a cough. Some of these symptoms can be fatal to people who are already immunocompromised.

Cleaning and sterilisation products used in both waiting and consultation rooms can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Exposure to VOCs has short-term and long-term risks. Some short-term symptoms of VOC exposure may include eye, nose, and/or throat irritation, headache, skin inflammation, nausea, fatigue, and dizziness. In the long-term, some VOCs like formaldehyde and benzene, often found in pressed wood products and new furnishings found in hospitals and GP surgeries, are known carcinogens. Exposure to other VOCs can increase the risk of multiple types of cancer (like lung cancer), respiratory disease, and can even impact mental health.

Finally, the presence of cigarette smoke, furnaces/space heaters, and heavy metals (like lead found in lead paint) in healthcare establishments can all be responsible for releasing particles in the air that cause gastrointestinal discomfort, fatigue, weakness, personality changes, headaches, hearing loss, abdominal pain, seizures, irritation of the eyes and throat, headaches, and fevers, especially in those who are most vulnerable.

The advantages of an air purifier for medical institutions

A HEPA-certified medical air steriliser can help to protect patients, doctors, and caregivers in consultation rooms, doctor’s offices, waiting rooms, laboratories, and patient or resident rooms by reducing the spread of disease and exposure to air pollutants.

For patients, there are many benefits to having an air purifier in a medical office. In addition to filtering out pathogens such as bacterial and viral exposure, simply seeing a medical HEPA filter on site may help them feel more at ease whilst awaiting or undergoing treatment. Several studies have found that emotional well-being plays an important role in long-term recovery. These studies have shown that psychology is related to the severity and survival rate of many diseases, especially with immune and cardiovascular diseases³. If a patient feels relaxed, they will likely experience positive effects in their healing.

The same goes for staff and personnel of healthcare establishments. A medical air purifier in their place of work can reduce the risk of disease exposure whilst also providing them with peace of mind and a feeling of protection from these diseases and cross-contamination.

How to choose an air purifier for medical establishments?