subject: MediCount ATP testing [print this page] MediCount ATP testing MediCount ATP testing
What is an ATP Test? Why is it necessary to have one in your facility? With Healthcare Acquired Infections being so prevalent and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions of dollars per year in additional healthcare expenses, it is absolutely necessary to take a proactive approach in the discovery and elimination of potential microbial and bacterial hazards.
A MediCount ATP testing unit, users can determine bacterial levels by swabbing a surface and placing the swab into a handheld testing unit. The unit then gives a result in terms of relative light units (RLU) which indicate the amount of ATP on the surface. The lower the RLU count, the less ATP is on the surface. By association, less ATP means less living bacteria. Different types of surfaces generally have different RLU levels that are deemed to be acceptable. For example, hospital room surfaces should be below 50 RLUs, while hospital common areas can have up to 75 RLUs and still be determined to be at acceptable levels.
Many of the counterparts of MediCount use a Q-tip style swabs that are small and ineffectively shaped. This style of swab cannot obtain a consistently accurate reading of an area, because of its shape. The MediCount system addresses this problem with a new type of swab, which is able to cover a much larger surface area, which provides consistently valid and reliable results.
Because of the fast and accurate results that are provided by MediCount ATP testing systems, it is ideal for use in medical settings or extended care facilities. Employees can quickly and easily perform checks on different areas of the facility and receive immediate feedback. This allows them to perform immediate corrective action and identify problem areas for future cleaning, protecting both employees and patients from dangerous germs and bacteria.
To aid with this, the MediCount system includes a software program that tracks results over time. Users can compare and contrast readings from the same surface to gauge the cleaning process, and also gives the user the ability to compare readings from different surfaces to see which areas need more thorough attention from cleaning personnel.
Midbrook Medical can provide not only the MediCount handheld unit and specially designed test swabs, but also the small amount of training and knowledge required to effectively and correctly perform ATP testing. Additionally, they can help analyze the results and provide recommendations to improve the cleaning process.
