Infection Prevention and Control

Increase patient safety with our comprehensive solutions for infection prevention and control

Built on decades of experience, our product line has been formulated to meet the infection prevention and control needs of a diverse range of medical facilities. From medical imaging centers to hospitals, patient safety is at the forefront of our mission.

Multiple solutions, one goal: patient safety

EDM offers a wide array of hospital-grade products and equipment designed to reduce the risk of infection. Our high-quality product line has been tailored to target five vital areas of the process of infection control: hand hygiene, medical exam safety, cleaning, disinfection, and storage. Our products range from disinfectant sprays and wipes to sterile ultrasound probe and equipment covers, thereby providing a diverse set of solutions that meet the evolving needs of medical practitioners. As a leader in the medical imaging sector, our experience with a diverse group of healthcare facilities has allowed us to continually refine our offering to the developments in infection prevention and control. Excellence in product quality and effectiveness is our commitment to you.

Hand Hygiene

Hand hygiene in healthcare settings is of the upmost important. The CDC describes this practice as “simple yet effective” in the fight against healthcare-associated infections.

Medical practitioners and staff can take a variety of precautions when it comes to hand hygiene. First, staff should abide by proper hand washing practices at all times. This is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of contact transmission. In addition to hand washing, staff should utilize a hand sanitizer to further minimize the risk of transmission.

In the operating room and imaging suites, radiologists and other imaging professionals should abide by the same strict hand hygiene protocols. Depending on the nature of the exam or procedure, practitioners should opt to use sterile or non-sterile gloves to create an additional barrier of protection between themselves and the patient. This is especially important in surgical settings where the sterile environment must be preserved.

However, the use of medical gloves does not replace hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer. All three of these components of proper hand hygiene should be applied in tandem to ensure the maximum level of infection prevention and control is achieved.

Medical Imaging Examination

To increase patient safety during medical imaging exams, practitioners have a variety of infection control solutions at their disposal. With our high-quality product line, we assist facilities in fighting infections in two areas of medical imaging: ultrasound (point of care ultrasound, surgery, and ultrasound used in the imaging suite) and radiology.

Point of care ultrasound (POC or POCUS, ultrasound at patient’s bedside) differs from ultrasound scans performed in the imaging suite because it allows practitioners to examine the patient without moving them.

While the risk of infection is present in diagnostic POCUS, the greatest risk exists when interventions are performed. These primarily consist of ultrasound-guided cannulation (vascular access). During IV placements, the ultrasound transducer can potentially come into contact with bodily fluids (such as blood), thereby increasing the risk of cross-contamination.

Within the imaging suite or radiology department, ultrasound is also used for diagnostic and interventional purposes. However, when compared to POCUS, ultrasound in the imaging suite encompasses a broader array of procedures. These include ultrasound-guided biopsies, aspirations, drainages, and more. Interventions such as these pose a health risk to patients as they could be exposed to bloodborne pathogens.

In addition, when ultrasound technology is used in a sterile environment such as the Operating Room, the equipment must be covered with a sterile sheath to maintain the sterile field, and only sterile gel is tolerated both inside and outside the probe cover. Ultrasound is now used for a variety of surgical or perioperative applications such as nerve blocks, TEE cardiac monitoring, Vascular access (CVC placement), Intracranial Pressure (ICP) assessment, and more.

To reduce the risk of spreading healthcare-associated infections, imaging staff should clean and disinfect the probe, use a probe cover, and apply a sterile gel. These recommendations, however, are contingent upon the nature of the procedure as described above and are therefore subject to change.

Depending on the nature of the procedure, the following recommendations apply:

Surface ultrasound on intact skin for diagnostic purposes

No need for a cover
No need for sterile gel
Cleaning and low-level disinfection is sufficient

Surface ultrasound for intervention

Need for sterile cover
Need for sterile gel
Need for high-level disinfection (or sterilization if possible) after each patient use

Endocavity for diagnostic purposes

Need for a probe cover (non-sterile is accepted, but we highly recommend sterile)
No need for sterile gel, but we highly recommend sterile
Need for high-level disinfection (or sterilization if possible) after each patient use

Endocavity intervention (such as a biopsy or IVF procedure)

Need for sterile cover
Need for sterile gel
Need for high-level disinfection (or sterilization if possible) after each patient

In addition to ultrasound imaging, EDM has tailored its infection control products to meet the needs of interventional radiology (IR). Interventional Radiology, using fluoroscopy, encompasses a variety of medical specialties such as cardiovascular surgery, orthopedic surgery, and catheterization.

Departments should seek to achieve optimal microbiological quality by using disposable material and supplies when necessary. The reuse of disposable supplies is not permitted.

Imaging equipment used in interventional radiology (ultrasound transducers, C-arm) or surgery (endoscopy cameras, microscopes) should always be covered with sterile sheaths or drapes. By covering equipment, staff will preserve the sterile field necessary to the procedure and can reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

Cleaning and Disinfection

Cleaning and disinfection both play unique and integral roles in a healthcare facility’s infection control protocol.

The CDC recommends that facilities first clean surfaces with soap and water prior to disinfection. Practices must ensure that surfaces, from examination tables to ultrasound machines, are properly cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis. At times, this may mean cleaning and disinfecting after each patient use depending on the nature of the procedure and equipment use.

It is important to note how medical practices should use a 6-log kill rate to ensure the highest level of disinfection possible. The logarithmic scale provides a way to measure log reductions, or the decrease of pathogens, by working with factors of 10. According to the EPA, log reduction as a percentage reduction can be measured this way:

1-log reduction = 90% reduction
2-log reduction = 99% reduction
3-log reduction = 99.9% reduction
4-log reduction = 99.99% reduction
5-log reduction = 99.999% reduction
6-log reduction = 99.9999% reduction

This concept can be better visualized when applied to a colony of one million C. diff bacteria. The kill rates are as follows:

A 1-log kill reduces the colony to 100,000 C. diff bacteria
A 2-log kill reduces to 10,000 C. diff bacteria
A 3-log kill reduces to 1,000 C. diff bacteria
A 4-log kill reduces to 100 C. diff bacteria
A 5-log kill reduces to 10 C. diff bacteria
A 6-log kill reduces to 1 C. diff bacteria

Medical equipment, including imaging devices such as ultrasound transducers, c-arm scanners, and others, should be properly cleaned and disinfected. Depending on the imaging device, some may require cleaning and disinfecting after each patient use, such as endocavity ultrasound transducers. Additionally, certain devices should be stored to preserve their cleanliness and prevent cross-contamination, such as ultrasound probes which can be safely stored in storage covers. Learn more about our guidelines for cleaning and disinfection here.

Why Hospitals Choose EDM

Diverse Experience

For over 30 years, EDM has been a leading provider of medical imaging supplies and disinfection equipment on a global scale. Our wealth of experience with clinics, hospitals, and GPOs in the US and abroad has contributed to our knowledge of infection control and prevention. EDM’s product lines are formulated from an understanding of what our clients need and the role each product plays in their ICP protocols.

Best Prices

We are committed to providing our clients with the best product at the best price. As a trusted provider of medical imaging and disinfection supplies, we have longstanding relationships with some of the best brands in the industry and have experience working with facilities and organizations of all sizes, including GPOs and hospital groups. Through price matching and our dedicated sales team, clients can be confident that they are receiving the best prices.

High-Quality Products

Our mission behind every product is to exceed the expectations of our client. We are proud to carry more than 300 products made in the USA and have continually refined our product line so that our offering is in line with the latest developments in infection control and prevention. EDM offers advanced products that are effective on the front lines of infection control.