Baptist Health’s New Patient Garments Provide Greater Dignity, protectionFlorida Health System Is First in World to Adopt Antimicrobial Textiles for Patients, Team Members
Jacksonville, FL (PRWEB) November 05, 2014 -- Baptist Health patients can look forward to safer, more comfortable hospital visits due to the health system’s new offering of antimicrobial garments specially designed with patient protection and dignity in mind.
The launch of patient apparel comes on the heels of the health system’s implementation of protective uniforms featuring the same Vestex technology in June, making it the first in the world to widely adopt this level of protection. Baptist began a phased roll out of the technology-enhanced, modified gowns and shirt and sports-style shorts to its inpatients ages 1 year and older in mid-October at its community hospitals. Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville started using the patient garments on Nov. 3 and Wolfson Children’s Hospital will have the Vestex patient apparel in January.
Designed with input from Baptist team members, patients and their families, patient shirts, shorts and gowns provide full coverage, as well as pockets, for convenient storage of personal items such as mobile phones. The designs feature full fabric panels on both sides that wrap, snaps along the tops of both shoulders for quick and easy access, ties at the waist and two pockets. This move represents an organization-wide emphasis on enhancing quality, safety and patient experience with an investment of more than $1 million for about 40,000 pieces of patient apparel and 30,000 pieces of uniforms for team members.
“Baptist Health is focused on all aspects of the patient experience,” said Hugh Greene, Baptist Health president and CEO. “Adopting specially designed patient apparel is another dimension of our commitment to changing health care for good by preserving dignity and comfort, while enhancing safety and protection.”
The patient garments feature a fluid barrier bonded to individual fibers, resulting in material that is highly repellent to bodily fluids, water, oil and dirt. High repellency has been shown to synergize with embedded antimicrobial technology to prevent organisms from being acquired and retained on the fabric. Soft surfaces, like patient gowns, are vectors for the spread of organisms in acute care settings.
“The fabric will reduce a patient’s exposure to organisms while they are in the hospital and the design will help maintain their dignity,” said Diane Raines, Baptist Health’s senior vice president and chief nursing officer. “While standard safety measures such as hand hygiene and the use of sterilized rooms and equipment are imperative, this technology allows us to go a step further in creating a safer environment for everyone.”
If adopted on a large scale by hospitals and health systems nationwide, garments with Vestex technology could help significantly reduce the spread of infection and incidence of hospital-acquired infections such as antibiotic-resistant Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports about one in 25 hospital patients has at least one health care-associated infection. Hospital-acquired infections result in up to $4.5 billion in additional health care expenses annually.
About Baptist Health
Baptist Health is a faith-based, mission-driven system in Northeast Florida comprised of Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville; Baptist Medical Center Beaches; Baptist Medical Center Nassau; Baptist Medical Center South; Baptist Clay Medical Campus and Wolfson Children’s Hospital – the region’s only children’s hospital. All Baptist Health hospitals, along with Baptist Home Health Care, have achieved Magnet™ status for excellence in patient care. Baptist Health includes the area’s only dedicated heart hospital; cancer centers; orthopedic institute; women’s services; neurological institute, including comprehensive neurosurgical services, a comprehensive stroke center and two primary stroke centers; a Bariatric Center of Excellence; a full range of psychology and psychiatry services; outpatient facilities; urgent care services; and primary and specialty care physicians’ offices throughout Northeast Florida. For more details, visit baptistjax.com. For information on Wolfson Children’s Hospital, visit http://www.wolfsonchildrens.org.
About Vestagen Technical Textiles
Vestagen Technical Textiles develops and markets advanced performance textile products and technologies. Vestagen has developed Vestex®, which represents a new class of technology-based, active barrier protective fabrics combining antimicrobial, liquid repellent and breathability properties. Vestex uniforms and scrubs are designed to protect healthcare workers and their patients from dangerous contaminants. They are clinically proven to prevent or reduce the acquisition and retention of contaminants on clothing and are comfortable, durable and affordable. For more information, visit http://www.vestagen.com.
Deborah Circelli, Baptist Health, +1 (904) 202-4916, [email protected]
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