Hygiene can be one of the most important and complex aspects in podiatry. At the beginning of planning a hygiene room is the risk classification of your instruments. The equipment, space requirements, and arrangement of the technology depend on this classification. However, in the hygiene room, a distinction must always be made between a clean and a dirty area. This can be achieved either through spatial separation (two separate areas), through an alternative division such as a partition glass, or through a continuous
hygiene route.
On the left side is the dirty area with a designated rinsing facility and a cleaning and disinfection facility. This can be achieved, for example, through a washer disinfector. One of the major advantages of using a washer disinfector, which is also recommended by the Royal College of Podiatry, is that planning can be done with significantly less space. So, if you are faced with the challenge of a (too) small hygiene room, this could be a suitable solution. Additionally, manual preparation time is eliminated. On the right side of the corpus is the clean area, which includes the sterilised equipment and the necessary storage space. In the planning of a hygiene room, the following mandatory conditions must be observed.
For instrument decontamination, a designated area, ideally in a separate room from the clinic room, must be set up in accordance with the Clinical Standards of the Royal College of Podiatry.
For sterilisation, a steam steriliser (autoclave) is required, or alternatively, the process can be outsourced to a central preparation point with a valid contract. You should also plan for a separate, dedicated sink for hand washing only (not shown in plan opposite).
Remember the personal protective equipment (PPE) for yourself and your employees. Therefore, plan sufficient storage space as well as disinfectant and care dispensers. A window or, alternatively, room ventilation is essential to remove any gases generated in the room. We are happy to advise you further via our online consultation service.
In terms of hygiene, your heart will skip a beat with the "Lars" clinic concept. Divided into a "dirty" and "clean" line and perfectly furnished with the relevant equipment, this clinic concept offers everything you need for efficient hygiene/decontamination in podiatry.
