Mitigating Infection Risk During Post-Surgical Patient Transfers: The Role of No-Touch Technology

Executive Summary

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant concern in healthcare, leading to increased morbidity, extended hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs. Patient movement, particularly post-surgery, can be a vector for pathogen transmission, especially when bleeding occurs. Traditional patient transfer methods introduce multiple points of contamination, including direct contact by healthcare personnel and shared transfer devices. This white paper explores the infection risks associated with patient movement post-surgery and highlights REMUV (see cegaco.com) as a technology that eliminates touch-based transfer, thereby offering significant mitigation of infection risk.​

Understanding the Infection Risks of Patient Transfers

Cross-Contamination in the OR

Intraoperative and post-operative patient transfers involve multiple healthcare workers, medical equipment, and surfaces that can serve as reservoirs for infectious agents. Pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Clostridioides difficile, can survive on inanimate surfaces for extended periods. Transfer devices such as air-assisted lateral transfer systems, roller boards, and slide sheets contribute to the risk by:​

• Requiring frequent handling by multiple staff members​

• Retaining biological material, including blood and bodily fluids​

• Serving as fomites for multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs)​

These factors underscore the importance of stringent infection control practices during patient transfers. ​

Post-Surgical Bleeding and Infection Susceptibility

Patients who experience post-operative bleeding are particularly vulnerable to infections due to open surgical wounds and compromised immune responses. The movement of such patients increases the risk of:​

• Bloodborne pathogen exposure​

• Direct contamination of surgical sites​

• Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), including SSIs, pneumonia, and sepsis​

Effective management of bleeding and minimizing unnecessary movement are crucial in reducing these risks. ​

Current Transfer Methods and Their Limitations

Manual and Assisted Transfers

Manual patient transfers require direct handling by staff, increasing the potential for cross-contamination. This direct contact poses a high risk of pathogen transmission, especially if infection control protocols are not strictly followed. Additionally, increased workload and fatigue among healthcare providers can reduce adherence to these protocols. ​

Air-Assisted and Mechanical Transfers

While reducing direct contact, these methods still involve reusable equipment that must be cleaned and disinfected between uses. If not rigorously maintained, such equipment can harbor microbial contamination, posing infection risks. Moreover, these methods do not eliminate the need for multiple touchpoints during the transfer process. ​

REMUV: A No-Touch Transfer Solution for Absolute Infection Control (see cegaco.com)

Establishing Best Practices to Prevent Infection is a Standard for All Hospitals

REMUV is a solution that aims to reduce the risk of infection related to patient transfers by minimizing direct contact between staff, transfer devices, and patients. Its key benefits include:​

• Zero-Touch Operation: Unlike conventional transfer methods, REMUV employs advanced, touchless technology, reducing human contact during patient movement.​

• Reduction of Cross-Contamination: Since no reusable surfaces or manual handling are involved, the risk of fomite transmission is minimized.​

• Increased Compliance with Infection Control Standards: By reducing human error and reliance on surface disinfection, REMUV ensures consistent infection prevention measures.​

• Enhanced Staff Safety and Efficiency: Reducing manual handling not only protects patients but also minimizes occupational exposure to pathogens among healthcare personnel.​

Best Practices Supporting REMUV’s Efficacy

The principles of no-touch transfer align with established infection control practices aimed at reducing HAIs. Implementing such technologies may lead to:​

• A reduction in cross-contamination incidents related to patient transfers​

• A decrease in SSIs and HAIs among post-surgical patients​

• Improved efficiency in post-operative care workflows due to faster and safer patient transfers​

Conclusion

Post-surgical patient movement remains a critical point of infection risk within the OR and recovery settings. While conventional transfer methods attempt to reduce contamination through disinfection and procedural controls, technologies like REMUV offer a solution that minimizes touch-based transfer risks. Healthcare facilities seeking to reduce infection risks should consider the adoption of no-touch technology such as REMUV to safeguard patient outcomes, protect clinical staff, and uphold the highest standards of infection control.​

References

• Siegel JD, Rhinehart E, Jackson M, Chiarello L, Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. "2007 Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings" (https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/pdf/guidelines/isolation-guidelines-H.pdf). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Retrieved 7 February 2019.

• "Transmission-Based Precautions" (https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/basics/transmission-based-precautions.html). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 7 January 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2020.

• "Clostridioides difficile Infection" (https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/clinicians/index.html). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 25 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2025.

• "Hospital-acquired infection" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital-acquired_infection). Wikipedia. Retrieved 10 March 2025.

• "Transmission-based precautions" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmission-based_precautions). Wikipedia. Retrieved 10 March 2025.