Rapid Temperature Screening for Workplace Health study released by, Pan-Access worldwide collective, IC.tips, proves the efficacy of the welloStation™ in workplace health.
IC.tips published the results of their field trial study, “Rapid Temperature Screening for Workplace Health,” promoting the use of fever screening to reduce the chance of infection spread among coworkers and those they serve. Since fever is the most definitive sign of infection, and fevered persons pose the highest risk of disease spread, IC.tips conducted the study to test the efficacy of the hands-free welloStation™ for high-volume fever screening, as a self-service alternative to screenings performed by a healthcare worker.
The study’s premise was to promote the perspective of preventing those who are ill or contagious from going to work, thus preventing illness from spreading to other coworkers, patients or customers or highly sensitive substances, like in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment.
Those Who Come To Work Sick Pose The Greatest Threat
Preventing employees from “working sick” is a major concern for many businesses – particularly hospitals – since their patients are at risk of contracting Healthcare Associated Infections, HAI’s, largely caused by “contact transmission,” defined by WHO as infection spread from healthcare workers to patients.
The study found, “People often overestimate their own healthiness and doing so can have negative consequences when employees decide to continue to work while sick. Depending on the work environment and the illness, a sick employee can infect coworkers, customers, students, patients, and the general public. The introduction of a screening system to prevent infected individuals from spreading pathogens could have a real, positive impact on public health by mandating employee absenteeism during illness.”
WelloStation™ Proven To Detect Fever Accurately, Without Threat Of Infection Spread
The study’s field trials proved the welloStation’s hands-free, self-service approach to fever screening to be highly accurate as compared to in-ear thermometers. In fact, IC.tips, who conducted the effort, discovered the welloStation™ consistently recorded accurate temperature readings within a variance of less than one tenth of a degree. This self-service alternative alleviated the risk of infection spread typically present when staff persons have to check for fever. This is a significant benefit to organizations interested in promoting workplace health, while reducing costs, since staff persons are not required to take temperature.
IC.tips conducted the study as part of their effort to put infection control innovations into practice in real-world applications such as workplace infection prevention.
To learn more, visit welloStation™ at APIC 2017 or request a demonstration.
References
Collins, Amy S. “Preventing Health Care–Associated Infections.” Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 12 June 2017.