Economics of Using Biocidal Surfaces - Use of Biocidal Surfaces for Reduction of Healthcare Acquired Infections - page 170

ratio is generated as closely as possible from data on actual patient outcomes and
costs (e.g. hospital costs per hospital survivor). However, in order to approach the
recording of fixed and non-fixed parameters, following the type above, we can
estimate the total ICU's operating cost and have a comparable effect in two
different time periods (before and after the use of agents to reduce the microbial
flora). Recording time and comparison may vary, but it gives us the opportunity to
realize economic efficiency in the operation of the selected unit [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 11 ].
A similar approach has been recorded for observation and assessment period as a
“time horizon” and must be long enough to capture the important clinical and
economic consequences of the therapy.
Generally speaking, economical evaluations are increasingly common in the
critical care literature, although approaches to their conduct are not standardized
because evidence for the effectiveness of critical care interventions is often
lacking [ 20 ].

8.3 Antimicrobial Copper Cu + Implementation in NICU
(Neonatal Intensive Care Unit)

The implementation of antimicrobial copper as a biocidal surface in ICUs' started
since 2008 and today a large number of ICUs' worldwide has already been
copperized. The following table lists the countries that have already installed
antimicrobial copper in their respective ICUs (Table 8.2 ).
The implementation procedure as reported in literature [ 13 ] is described in
Table 8.3 , and thereby can ensure the final product regarding the effectiveness of
its biocidal activity [ 4 ].
Up till now, studies related to microbial load reduction at the above
implementations have clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of antimicrobial cop-
per Cu + [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 - 11 , 13 ]. It is important that microorganisms resistant to
antibiotics present a 95 % reduction 2 h after their exposal to the specific biocidal
surface and create the conditions that decrease the infections and the consumption

Table 8.2 “List of countries
implemented antimicrobial
copper Cu + in ICUs”

Bulgaria
France
Germany
Greece
USA
Japan
India
China
Cyprus
Great Britain
Chile