About the Manufacturers
List of Manufacturers that participated in this installation:
- Hussey Copper - Cabinet Pull
- Larco - Door Activation Switch
- Pedigo - Handles for IV Pole
- Rocky Mountain Hardware - Faucet Handles
About the Project Leader
Wilton Moran is the CDA project leader for the Patient Safety Challenge and the subsequent Pullman Regional Hospital installation. This was a major effort put forth by Wilton as he has worked hand and hand with Pullman Regional to educate, inspire, and facilitate the installation of copper products. We've asked him a few questions about his involvement and the project itself.
Q - You challenged multiple hospitals to apply for CDA's 'Patient Safety Challenge' and Pullman Regional was selected as a winner. What did you like about their application, why were they chosen?
A - They showed a strong commitment to implementing cutting edge technologies to healthy outcomes. This requires out of the box thinking to solve challenging problems. These are the types of organizations that we want to align with. They also had strong buy-in for the adoption of copper up and down the organization, starting with the CEO.
Q - How did the Pullman Regional facility go around and choose which touch surfaces to replace with antimicrobial copper components?
A - Their goal was to maximize the number of copper touch points throughout their facility. Through observation and experience, they identified and prioritized the most frequently touched surfaces in their patient care areas. They then made a cost-benefit analysis, with benefit being defined as number of touch points.
Q - What has been your favorite aspect about helping and progressing the Pullman Regional installation?
A - My favorite aspect of helping PRH launch their installation of copper touch surfaces has been hearing first hand from hospital staff what the introduction of copper touch surfaces means to them. Copper not only reduces bacteria, but its presence also communicates to patients and the community that this hospital is committed to doing everything they can to keep their patients healthy.
Q - Have you visited the facility and seen the newly incorporated copper components?
A - Yes, I recently had the opportunity to visit PRH. The handicap-access door switches, IV Pole handles, and faucet handles had been in place for several months. These components looked great. Their handicap-access door switches showed some fingerprints, but this is expected from a metal surface. Some of the faucet handles had water stains, but again, this should be expected for a metal surface. It's similar to what happens to stainless steel home appliances when they're splashed and not wiped dry. The PRH staff mentioned that they acclimated to the copper components very quickly, some hadn't even noticed that copper surfaces had replaced some of their standard surfaces until it was pointed out to them. They are very pleased that their hospital is installing copper.