Georgia-Pacific Professional Highlights Best Practices and Solutions for Healthier Patient Rooms

Company offers products, information and tools for healthcare professionals to help reduce the risk of cross-contamination in their facilities. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) September 17, 2013 - ATLANTA - To help hospitals and long-term care facilities reduce the risk of cross-contamination, Georgia-Pacific Professional continues its focus on patient room solutions, including an innovative bundle of automated washroom products that help encourage good hand hygiene. The company will highlight these solutions, along with other products that support best practices throughout healthcare facilities, at the upcoming Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) conference in Indianapolis, Sept. 15-18, 2013.

"Our theme at this year's AHE conference is 'Your Touch Can Make a Difference,' emphasizing how healthcare professionals can take simple and efficient steps to help reduce the risk of cross-contamination," said Andy Webb, senior marketing manager - healthcare segment, Georgia-Pacific Professional. "AHE is a great opportunity for us to showcase Georgia-Pacific Professional products in our comprehensive bundle of washroom solutions for patient rooms and public areas in healthcare facilities. We are working to ensure the healthcare industry has the information and the tools it needs to implement the latest best practices, and we look forward to sharing our solutions with AHE attendees."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites hand hygiene, particularly proper hand washing and drying, as one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of infections.1

According to Webb, Georgia-Pacific Professional's patient washroom bundle―the SofPull® Small Automated towel dispenser, SofPull® Mini bath tissue dispenser, and enMotion® touchless soap/sanitizer dispenser―supports hand hygiene best practices with easy one-at-a-time dispensing.

"Preventing cross-contamination requires a multi-disciplinary approach, with healthcare providers working together with solution providers to implement effective systems," said Webb. "The CDC estimates that one-third of HAIs are preventable, and we're committed to help with quick, easy and hygienic solutions for the healthcare environment."

Georgia-Pacific Professional also is sharing information on the importance of keeping all surfaces clean in patient rooms. The company cites a study of 36 acute care hospitals that did a good job of cleaning certain surfaces, such as sinks, tray tables and toilet seats in patient rooms, but were less thorough in cleaning other high-risk objects like light switches, handholds and door knobs.2

"Often, existing prevention practices that everyone is aware of are not implemented in the high-pressure healthcare environment because staff is hurrying to move to the next patient, with major repercussions," said Webb. "For example, the CDC says that C. difficile infections are responsible for at least $1 billion in extra healthcare costs annually, but the good news is that hospitals following infection control recommendations were able to lower C. difficile infection rates by 20 percent in less than two years."3

AHE attendees are invited to stop by booth 207 or visit www.gpprohealthcare.com to learn more about healthcare best practices and Georgia-Pacific Professional's comprehensive offering for healthcare facilities. For additional information on patient room and healthcare related products from Georgia-Pacific Professional, including the new SafeHaven™ Automated Hand Hygiene Monitoring System with wireless technology, click here or contact us at 1-866-HELLO GP (435-5647).

ABOUT GEORGIA-PACIFIC PROFESSIONAL
Georgia-Pacific Professional is a provider of hygienic dispensing systems, towels, tissues, soaps, air fresheners, wipers, cups, plates, cutlery and napkins. We serve a wide range of market segments, providing washroom, wiper and foodservice solutions for office buildings, education, healthcare, restaurant, lodging and manufacturing facilities through well-known product brands like enMotion®, Compact®, Dixie®, PerfecTouch®, EasyNap®, SmartStock®, and Brawny Industrial®. For more information about Georgia-Pacific Professional, please call 1-866-HELLO GP (435-5647) or visit us at www.gppro.com.

GP Professional. Experience better™.

1 http://www.cdc.gov/handhygiene/Basics.html
2 Carling PC, Parry MF, Rupp ME, et al. Improving cleaning of the environment surrounding the patients in 36 acute care hospitals. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology 2008;29:1035-1041. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18851687. Accessed August 16, 2013.
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Making Health Care Safer: stopping c.difficile infections. Vitalsigns. March 2012. (www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/HAI/StoppingCdifficile/index.html). Accessed August 20, 2013.

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