Japan is deploying antimicrobial copper in its hospitals to help reduce the spread of infection and improve patient safety. Nine facilities have installed copper surfaces this year – including bed rails, IV drip poles, door furniture, hand rails and computer input devices.
Copper has proven efficacy against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including MRSA, which is responsible for a high percentage of healthcare-associated infections.
Arakawa Hospital, Kitasato University Hospital, Nagara Medical Centre, Nihonkai General Hospital, Sanmu Medical Centre, Shin-Yurigaoka General Hospital, Shinsei Hospital and Minami Tohoku General Hospital are among the Japanese facilities using touch surfaces made from solid antimicrobial copper alongside existing infection control measures.
Now our monitoring tests have shown the antimicrobial properties of our copper surfaces to be significant
Joining these hospitals is the newly-built Hitachi Medical Centre, located in Hitachi City, north of Tokyo, part of the Medical School of Showa University. This has installed antimicrobial copper beds and overbed tables, produced by local manufacturer France Bed, in its convalescent wards. Sampling of these surfaces showed significantly lower bacterial burden than on non-copper equivalents.
‘I was vaguely aware of copper’s antimicrobial properties, but didn’t think of using antimicrobial copper surfaces in my hospital until I saw medical facilities around the world installing it,’ explains Shigefumi Goto, Executive Director of Administration and Management at Hitachi Medical Centre.
‘Now our monitoring tests have shown the antimicrobial properties of our copper surfaces to be significant, I’m very glad I made the correct decision of installing them. We’re so excited by these results, I hope to use more antimicrobial copper products in future. I’m thinking of beginning with antimicrobial copper door handles.’
Also regarding the future of antimicrobial copper at the hospital, Hisako Kawasaki, Director of Nursing, says he would like to hold a seminar to share the knowledge of antimicrobial copper surfaces that has resulted from the monitoring tests.
'We need to make sure all our nurses and doctors understand the efficacy of antimicrobial copper,’ he says.
