The problem
Infection control in healthcare facilities is expensive and difficult to achieve consistently and to near perfection.
Importance and scale
Disinfecting hospitals, nursing homes and other public facilities is a continuously costly challenge, growing more acute as the elderly patient population rises and “superbugs” become more virulent and prevalent. This occurs in a situation where hospital budgets are under severe pressure and where mistakes can cause multiple deaths.
According to research by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in 2009, every year in Canada more than 220,000 patients acquire an infection in the hospital, which is about one in every nine hospital patients, and the rate is rising. These healthcare-associated infections (HAI) result in 8,500 to 12,000 deaths each year. In addition to causing unnecessary suffering of patients, the direct costs of HAIs are estimated to be $1 billion annually. In more populous nations and developing nations, this figure is even higher. Even in Europe, 73% of deaths caused by superbugs like MRSA are from HAIs.
According to Research and Markets, the global infection control market is expected to reach $258.3 billion USD by 2025, including the sale of equipment.
Additional project details
More information about this project will be shared during the kickoff meeting. Students will receive all the details they need at that time.