The Healthcare Surfaces Institute (HSI) has announced its merger with ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association. HSI will now operate as a division of ISSA, allowing the HSI community to become ISSA members immediately.
Formed in 2015 during the inaugural Healthcare Surfaces Institute Annual Summit, HSI has spent the past eight years addressing critical surface-related issues that contribute to the spread of deadly pathogens in healthcare settings.
The institute’s efforts include identifying gaps in surface disinfection practices, addressing compatibility issues, and publishing case studies highlighting real-life challenges and solutions. The merger with ISSA means that ISSA members will be able to access cutting-edge resources and education.
HSI boasts an advisory committee of world-renowned experts spanning healthcare, infection prevention, facilities management, environmental services, manufacturing, engineering, regulatory agencies, microbiology, occupational health and academia. This interdisciplinary collaboration has been pivotal in developing sustainable solutions to reduce pathogen transmission via surfaces in healthcare environments. HSI’s initiatives include scientific research, guideline and standard development and educational programs aimed at improving surface disinfection practices.
John Barrett, ISSA executive director, said the merger promised to benefit his organisation’s members and the cleaning industry more broadly.
“The addition of HSI to the ISSA family furthers our association’s mission to change the way the world views cleaning and advance the professionalism of the cleaning industry,” Barrett said.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome HSI to ISSA and look forward to leveraging their expertise to educate and empower our membership and the industry.”
Being able to draw on HSI’s expertise will bolster ISSA’s extensive educational and certification offerings as well as its capacity to develop new programs that support the fight against healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) transmitted via surfaces. Professionals in the cleaning and facility industry will be able to join HSI at a membership rate of US $290 per year, gaining access to select ISSA benefits.
Linda Lybert, HSI executive director, will now join ISSA as a full-time staff member. Lybert will lead the HSI division, collaborating with the ISSA management team to create and implement new training and certification programs, educational events, and engagement opportunities for professionals in the cleaning, facility solutions, and healthcare markets.
Lybert said she was excited about the partnership and the opportunities it will deliver to not just the cleaning industry, but public health overall.
“Combining HSI’s programs and subject matter experts with ISSA’s global network will allow us to increase awareness of how surfaces contribute to the spread of deadly pathogens and how we can work together to make the world a healthier, safer place for everyone,” Lybert said.
Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash.
