Performance Fabric News & Insights | Medical Curtain Fabrics
Medical safety equipment has come to the forefront of public consciousness in a way it never has before. Widespread hospital shortages of PPE and other healthcare devices only weeks into the fight against COVID-19 have emphasized the importance of medical devices to the wider lay audience.
In the process, the failure of institutions to provide for doctors and nurses put the spotlight on all aspects of the supply chain from the manufacturer to the retailer. As more instances of critical shortages and malfunctioning PPE devices reach the headlines, more focus is being placed on the quality and availability of medical devices.
In the best of circumstances, material sourcing is a vital part of producing high quality medical devices. During a pandemic, it’s a life or death decision. With numerous medical fabrics producers available, how does a buyer narrow down the search? These four factors are important to consider.
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Study results indicate alarming statistics
In September 2018, the American Journal of Infection Control released study results indicating that patient privacy curtains (also known as hospital cubicle curtains) often harbor harmful bacteria, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)—a form of bacteria resistant to many antibiotics that can cause health issues such as skin infections and pneumonia. Authors of the study recommend cleaning or replacing curtains frequently to stave off the transmission of harmful bacteria.
It’s easy to forget that fabrics can be complex, technical in design, and created to help augment an industry’s textile needs.
For example, medical grade vinyl is a specialty textile created specifically for the healthcare industry; it’s a type of fabric that is treated to be antimicrobial, flame retardant, and resistant to common odor and liquid contaminants.
Designing for hospital rooms is about more than providing a comfortable patient area with medical equipment—it’s about creating a better healthcare and healing experience for patients and their families during a hospital stay, as well as developing a better workspace for caregivers.
Whether you’re designing a new hospital room or renovating an existing one, adding the right hospital curtains can dramatically impact the overall look and feel of a room. Below are some ideas on how to successfully incorporate them into your design plans.
Hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare-related facilities have a unique environment—one that requires them to set up and maintain a sterile setting to continually provide their patients with the most hygienic treatment possible.
Hospitals are a conglomeration of equipment and technology. But one thing we often take for granted is the simple curtain that we all use for privacy during a doctor’s visit or a hospital stay. Choosing the right medical fabric is important and takes time and consideration to find the right one.
Interior designers of healthcare facilities face unique opportunities not found in other public buildings. In addition to designing a space that is functional, flexible and efficient, healthcare facility owners today are focused on creating a positive space that is comforting for their residents, patients, and visitors and ensures employee satisfaction and safety.
Interior design for a healthcare facility is unique from design for other public buildings. In addition to designing a space that is functional, flexible and efficient, healthcare facility owners today are focused on creating a positive space that is comforting for their residents, patients, and visitors and ensures employee satisfaction and safety.
No matter what you set out to buy today, you are almost always faced with a choice—price versus quality. Whether you’re buying medical bedding, medical equipment or privacy curtains for a hospital, you have a decision to make: Do you forgo a bit of quality and save on the purchase price or do you spend a little bit more upfront and get the better quality product?
A September 2011 article in the Healthland column on Time.com reported on the findings some University of Iowa researchers presented at a scientific conference in Chicago earlier that week. To the author’s chagrin, the scientists had confirmed what the author thought to be obvious: 95 percent of hospital privacy curtains contained harmful pathogens, most notably methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE).
