We all want patient rooms to be as clean as possible and for patients to not be exposed to disease-causing pathogens. However, efforts to keep surfaces clean are not always successful. While environmental services cleaning protocols and hand hygiene reminders have made some progress, a new approach helps identify moments when targeted disinfection could be most helpful. Coined by James Gauthier, MLT, CIC and coauthors Carol Calbrese, BS, RN, CIC and Pter Teska, MBA, "Targeted Moment of Environmental Disinfection" (TMED), refers to cleaning and disinfecting specific high‑risk surfaces immediately before or after patient care activities that are likely to generate significant environmental contamination. It builds on the World Health Organization’s concept of “Five Moments for Hand Hygiene,” applying a similar logic to surface disinfection.
We all want patient rooms to be as clean as possible and for patients to not be exposed to disease-causing pathogens. However, efforts to keep surfaces clean are not always successful. While environmental services cleaning protocols and hand hygiene reminders have made some progress, a new approach helps identify moments when targeted disinfection could be most helpful. Coined by James Gauthier, MLT, CIC and coauthors Carol Calbrese, BS, RN, CIC and Pter Teska, MBA, "Targeted Moment of Environmental Disinfection" (TMED), refers to cleaning and disinfecting specific high‑risk surfaces immediately before or after patient care activities that are likely to generate significant environmental contamination. It builds on the World Health Organization’s concept of “Five Moments for Hand Hygiene,” applying a similar logic to surface disinfection.
