
The study specifically focused on microbial transmission in these outpatient settings, examining how microbes moved through the facility and the effect of disinfectant spray on high-touch surfaces.
Results showed that exam room door handles and nurses' station chairs were the surfaces with the highest level of contamination and that virus concentrations were decreased significantly when disinfectant spray was used.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report shared a checklist of high-touch hospital surfaces, noting that the objects were "chosen on the basis of information regarding the contamination of these surfaces with healthcare-associated pathogens as well as a consideration of the likelihood they would be touched during routine care by healthcare personnel without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene prior to using these items."
These objects were as follows:
Patient room
- Bed rails/controls
- Tray table
- IV pole (grab area)
- Call box/button
- Telephone
- Bedside table handle
- Chair
- Room sink
- Room light switch
- Room inner door knob
- Bathroom inner door knob / plate
- Bathroom light switch
- Bathroom handrails by toilet
- Bathroom sink
- Toilet seat
- Toilet flush handle
- Toilet bedpan cleaner
- IV pump control
- Multi-module monitor controls
- Multi-module monitor touch screen
- Multi-module monitor cables
- Ventilator control panel
- Anesthesia computer mouse
- OR bed
- Nurse computer mouse
- OR door
- Anesthesia medical cart