{"id":97650,"date":"2025-10-01T20:30:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T20:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/97650\/"},"modified":"2025-10-01T20:30:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T20:30:23","slug":"a-new-index-for-reducing-exposure-risks-on-hospital-surfaces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/97650\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Index for Reducing Exposure Risks on Hospital Surfaces"},"content":{"rendered":"

An EVS worker wiping down a handrail on a hospital bed. <\/p>\n

(Adobe Stock 1612822382 by evgenia_lo)<\/p>\n

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Hospitals are designed to heal, but they can also serve as environments where patients, staff, and visitors are exposed to infectious agents. Reducing the risk of illness in health care settings requires moving beyond traditional cleaning metrics and adopting frameworks that directly link environmental hygiene practices to health outcomes. A new concept in development, the Bioload Exposure Metric Index (BEMI), aims to do just that: quantify the relationship between environmental surface cleaning and the probability of illness.<\/p>\n

The formula at the core of this work is deceptively simple:<\/p>\n

Risk = Hazard \u00d7 Exposure + Vulnerability.<\/p>\n

In this model, hazards are pathogens, exposure is where people and pathogens meet, and vulnerability is individual resistance to infection. While pathogens can never be fully eliminated, and vulnerability cannot be controlled, exposure levels can be measured and managed.<\/p>\n

Building a New Metric<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Indoor Exposure Index, a nonprofit (501c3 status pending), is collaborating with Charles Gerba, PhD, of the University of Arizona to establish BEMI. Their shared vision is to create a quantitative approach to infection prevention, allowing statements such as: \u201cThis cleaning method reduces the chances of becoming ill by \u2018x\u2019 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n

This shift is powered by Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA), paired with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) sampling, a long-standing method of measuring organic soils on surfaces. Together, QMRA and ATP provide the foundation for BEMI, reframing the conversation from cleaning as a compliance activity to cleaning as a measurable health intervention.<\/p>\n

Why Exposure Matters<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pathogens on hospital surfaces cannot be eradicated entirely, and patient vulnerability varies widely, but exposure is a controllable factor. Reducing the bioload, which is the accumulation of soils such as pathogens, organic material, chemical residues, and particulates, directly lowers the probability of illness.<\/p>\n

\u201cCleaning for Health\u201d emphasizes this concept: by reducing exposure, hospitals not only reduce infection risk but also cut down on absenteeism, presenteeism, and overall health care costs. BEMI builds on this philosophy, offering a more accessible way for infection preventionists (IPs), environmental services leaders, and hospital administrators to see how cleaning impacts patient outcomes.<\/p>\n

How BEMI Works<\/strong><\/p>\n

At its core, BEMI translates ATP test results into a simple 1-to-10 scale:<\/p>\n

90% Reduction in ATP (best)<\/p>\n

80% Reduction in ATP<\/p>\n

70% Reduction in ATP<\/p>\n

60% Reduction in ATP<\/p>\n

50% Reduction in ATP<\/p>\n

40% Reduction in ATP<\/p>\n

30% Reduction in ATP<\/p>\n

20% Reduction in ATP<\/p>\n

10% Reduction in ATP<\/p>\n

0% Reduction in ATP (worst)<\/p>\n

Since ATP meters vary across manufacturers and platforms, the reduction percentage before and after\u2014not the absolute numbers\u2014matters most. BEMI levels therefore reflect actual improvements in cleanliness, regardless of the tools used.<\/p>\n

By capturing these reductions, BEMI provides hospitals with an index score that not only reflects hygienic conditions but also helps identify areas for process improvement.<\/p>\n

Applications in Health Care<\/strong><\/p>\n

BEMI\u2019s potential applications extend across healthcare environments:<\/p>\n