Inaugural Harvard Medical Symposium Fosters Connection Across Disciplines
Findings Suggest Link Between Healthcare Facility Design and Patient Outcomes
Ottawa, Canada, June 20, 2017 (Newswire.com) - Nortec was pleased to present the inaugural 2017 Healthcare Symposium at Harvard Medical School on May 31, 2017. This landmark event brought together clinicians and building engineers to discuss their shared roles in improving patient outcomes by designing and promoting more effective healthcare environments.
“The Symposium offered an unparalleled opportunity to bring together divergent interests. Our goal was to bridge the gap and spark a dialogue between clinicians, hospital administration and the engineering community with a special reference to patient outcomes,” said Duncan Curd, GM, Nortec.
The Symposium offered an unparalleled opportunity to bring together divergent interests. Our goal was to bridge the gap and spark a dialogue between clinicians, hospital administration and the engineering community with a special reference to patient outcomes.
Duncan Curd, GM of Nortec
“It was very unique because we brought so many different disciplines together that don’t normally talk,” said Pat Demitrio, Business Development Manager for Healthcare and Life Sciences, Nortec, referring to the communication gap between clinicians, engineers, and facility managers. “I think that was critical to what we’re doing in [facilitating] a dialogue that’s beneficial to the patient.”
The day-long symposium featured talks led by thought leaders in healthcare and facility management. Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Stephanie Taylor and Healthcare Associated Infections Organization’s Howard McKew, PE, C.P.E., lead discussions on advancements in the use of humidity control to ensure optimum patient health, the importance of indoor air quality in airborne infectious disease management and how advancements in building environments can improve staff health, reduce absenteeism and increase productivity.
“People were surprised as they realized how the success of medicine in getting patients out of the hospital without a new infection or in a body bag really depends on these two groups of people working together,” said Dr. Stephanie Taylor, Harvard Medical School Healthcare Association Infections Organization.
Dr. Taylor’s innovative approach of using patients as a bio-indicator of effectiveness and efficiency in healthcare and hospital facility design could revolutionize the connection between the indoor environment and patient health. “It turns out how we design and how we manage indoor air influences the microbiomes of buildings,” said Dr. Taylor. “It’s kind of like we’ve discovered a whole new microscope to understand our world.”
“I feel like [the symposium] is on-track as a model to address the critical issues we are faced with. The range of backgrounds of the attendees was tremendous and something that rarely happens,” said symposium attendee Jeff Kline, Senior Research Associate, Oregon University.
The Harvard Healthcare Symposium will continue to be integral to opening the lines of communication between clinicians, building designers and managers and shining the light on the connection between indoor environments and patient outcomes. Stay tuned for updates about the continued dialogue on this issue and news about the 2018 symposium.
To view event highlights and learn more about the Harvard Healthcare Symposium, view Nortec’s event resources: https://www.humidity.com/hcs2017-event-recap
About Nortec (Member of the Condair Group)
With 600 employees, the Condair Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial and industrial humidification systems, setting standards globally for energy-efficient and hygienic solutions through its main Condair brand. Condair is represented in 16 countries by its own sales and service organisations and is supported by distribution partners in a further 50 countries. Condair operates production sites in Europe, North America and China.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Caine Ruckstuhl
Marketing Director (ASP), Nortec
T: 613-804-0987
E: [email protected]
W: http://www.humidity.com/
Source: Nortec
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Tags: air hydration, engineering, facility design, facility management, HAIs, Harvard Medical School, healthcare, hospitals
