AHRQ Report Finds Gaps in Evidence for Best Ways to Clean Hospital Rooms

A new report funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reviews clinical studies examining methods for cleaning and disinfecting hospital rooms to prevent healthcare-associated infections. The literature reviewed also covered strategies for monitoring rooms for cleanliness and “contextual” factors, such as organizational culture, that influence implementation and effectiveness of room cleaning.

The studies selected for review examined high-touch, hard surfaces in inpatient wards—excluding pediatric, surgical, or long-term care settings—and addressed environmental contamination by Clostridium difficile, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureas or vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

The authors found few studies published between 1990 and 2015 that compare disinfection methods, monitoring strategies, or implementation efforts. Studies that assess patient outcomes—the effect of cleaning on the incidence of HAIs—are also lacking. In addition to filling those gaps, the authors call for future researchers to study and compare new cleaning technologies such as ultraviolet light and disinfectant coatings.

The review was prepared for AHRQ by individuals at the ECRI Institute–Penn Medicine Evidence-Based Practice Center. A summary of the report was published in August 10, 2015, in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The full report can be found at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/healthcare-infections/.