InnoBRI

Annually in Germany, more than 500,000 patients contract a so-called nosocomial infection, i.e. an infection acquired during an inpatient hospital stay. This is more than twice the number of "classically" acquired infections outside the hospital and has a considerable impact on those affected and on society. Constructional actions in hospitals, i.e. architectural and structural measures, can help to reduce the transmission of pathogens and prevent infections. The last includes the selection of materials and surfaces as well as spatial structures that determine certain work processes of medical staff, the pathway that patients follow in a certain area, and the type and number of sanitary facilities provided for them.

InnoBRI brings together architects, engineers, epidemiologists, hospital hygiene and infection researchers as well as health economists to explore the routes of pathogen transmission in hospital environments, specifically in the emergency department, a quite complex and dynamic but central for patient care. Understanding the pathogen's routes of transmission and the level of contribution of each of them for different types of pathogens, going from airborne pathogens such as respiratory virus to multidrug-resistant bacteria, will allow to better design and direct structural interventions that mitigate transmission of a wide range of pathogens, therefore, preventing and optimally managing nosocomial infections.

Based on systematic literature analysis, observations of the World Health Organisation (WHO), data from microbiological transmission studies as well as standardized interviews with users and experts, potentially effective constructional interventions are identified and transferred into “in-silico” schemes where comparison studies and their effectiveness can be evaluated. Results will inform optimal interventions for modern building concepts, healthcare decision-makers, and planning recommendations for hospital personnel.