Infection control

The Future of Medical Design in Infection Control

The future is promising. With advancements in technology and an ever-emerging understanding of the microbiological ecosystem, we’re creating medical designs that are not just reactive but proactive. We’re exploring and developing environments that self-sanitize, equipment that alerts users to contamination risks in real time, and spaces that adapt automatically based on infection control needs.

Infection control is not just a healthcare concern, it’s an ongoing design challenge. As a medical design company, we are at the epicenter of this challenge, committed to creating environments that are not only safe but also easy to deploy in response to clinical needs. Through collaboration with healthcare professionals, the application of targeted innovation, and a deep understanding of the healthcare landscape, we are helping to deliver safer and more efficient environments for healthcare.

Innovations and Advancements

We have embraced a myriad of innovative approaches:

Smart Surfaces

We’re exploring surfaces that can change properties upon contamination, signaling a need for cleaning.

Modular Designs

These allow for rapid changes to the healthcare environment. During outbreaks, spaces can be quickly modified to cater to the increased number of patients or to create isolation zones.

Ergonomic Design

By focusing on people’s behaviour, we create spaces and tools that reduce the chances of cross-contamination. This includes designs that minimize touchpoints and promote easy access to hand sanitization stations.

Touchless Technology

By reducing the need to touch surfaces (like automated doors or hands-free devices), we can reduce the spread of pathogens.

Tech Integration

Leveraging the latest technology, our designs incorporate features like touchless controls and advanced air purification systems that can eliminate airborne pathogens.

Intelligent Circulation Space

The architectural layout of medical facilities can play a significant role in infection control. We prioritize circulation space, adequate access, and patient isolation interventions to minimize cross-contamination risks.

Vapour Hospital Sanitiser

Infection spread is a major challenge to hospital administrators and a significant health threat to patients and staff working within the hospital environment. Our client, a leader in rapid room sanitising and disinfection, had developed a system capable of removing airborne and surface borne infection within a hospital room in a timely manner.

Renfrew Group International worked with them in the design of the Meditrox 100 system providing innovation support, product design and engineering support. The company’s expertise in taking technology from lab to market ready product with prototyping and low volume production also includes preparation for testing of products in a clinical environment. Our concepts often evolve from tandem thinking, a union of the creative and the technical in a way proven to deliver robust intellectual property.

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Steritrox Meditrox 100 - Hospital Disinfection Device

How we can support you

With over 35 years of experience in infection control device development, we’ve accumulated a good understanding of the microbiological ecosystem present in both formal and informal healthcare delivery environments.

We are not just creating aesthetically pleasing spaces; we are helping to underpin the future of patient safety. Our designs go beyond the norms, anticipating future challenges, and pre-emptively addressing them. By integrating research, technology, and an intense understanding of medical needs, we’re able to place infection control at the heart of every project.

Patient Isolation Suit

Renfrew Group International developed a Patient Isolation Suit – a sealed environment to be worn by an infectious person which acts to contain microbiological material such as pathogens, spores and viruses. The design is currently being assessed by the WHO Compendium 2014 secretariat.

Benefits – The health workers and nursing staff are protected from the infectious person so do not need to wear protection themselves thus cutting out the hazardous robing/disinfecting/disrobing procedures. The patient is kept comfortable in a micro-controlled environment. All other personnel are protected from risk of infection.

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Patient Personal Waterless Toilet

Over 600 NHS frontline staff, many of them infection control specialists, were asked to make suggestions on the types of new product that they felt might best help combat Healthcare Acquired Infections (HCAIs) within hospitals and healthcare facilities.

The Department of Health in concert with the NHS National Innovation Centre and Renfrew Group International, began developing concept designs for an isolation tent for use on wards. All parties worked collaboratively to devise several solutions that could be quickly and easily erected within a busy ward to provide an effective barrier against infection spread from the patient housed inside to visitors, staff and others on the ward. The resultant isolation unit subsequently became known as the Temporary Side Room (TSR).

As part of the program, Renfrew Group also developed a portable waterless toilet for single-patient use within the TSR. The unit incorporates a sophisticated filtration and extraction system to capture both C. difficile bacteria and odour, and a sealed bag system, with similar odour-containing properties, in which waste is stored for a short period before being removed.

Simple display graphics mean patients can confidently operate the unit without assistance, and the whole design is orientated towards safety, simplicity of use and ease of cleaning and maintenance. The Waterless Toilet requires a power supply but no plumbing connection.