Reducing the Risk of Legionnaires' Disease

Guidelines for Legionella Control from Renowned Experts

The Legionella threat is genuine and critical. Approximately 10% of Legionnaires' Disease cases are fatal, and a known 10,000 cases occur annually. When one adds in the estimated number of unreported cases, the total rises to as many as 70,000.

Watch The First Webinar in the Series 

Recent CDC data shows that Legionella outbreaks are on the rise. In fact, Legionellosis cases have increased over 200% in the last ten years. A few possible causes have been identified:

• An aging population means more at-risk patients in healthcare settings.
• Increased rainfall and higher temperatures due to climate change result in better conditions for Legionella to thrive.
• Aging infrastructure supports Legionella growth in pipes, signaling the need for better solutions.

For healthcare, the problem is prevalent, painful, and preventable

Hospitals are particularly at risk for Legionnaires Disease outbreaks and fatalities. According to the CDC, Legionella in hospitals accounted for 57% of all cases and 85% of deaths. It is important to note; this is not an isolated geographic instance – the problem is nationwide, painful, and preventable.

To help fight this preventable disease and give back to the healthcare community, Chicago Faucets has partnered with their first Healthy Building Hero honoree, Dr. Janet E. Stout, and the Special Pathogens Laboratory to host a series of webinars.

A Webinar Series with Dr. Janet E. Stout  

The webinar series aims to support Dr. Stout's and the Special Pathogens Laboratory's mission to end Legionnaires' Disease. Chicago Faucets is honored to join Dr. Stout and Special Pathogens Laboratory to help promote their mission to stop this preventable disease through education and awareness to give back to the healthcare community and recognize Dr. Stout for her pioneering work.

For more than 30 years, Dr. Stout has been committed and conducted groundbreaking research on Legionella. Her expertise includes disinfection and control strategies for the prevention of Legionnaires' disease and other waterborne pathogens. An advocate for prevention, Dr. Stout was instrumental in developing the first U.S. prevention strategy for hospital-acquired Legionnaires' disease in 1993. Later adopted by the Veteran's Health Administration and others, the guideline still serves as a national model for Legionella prevention. 

Healthcare water management for a stronger environment of care 

The risks from Legionella and other waterborne pathogens are present for all buildings, but the level of threats is not the same for all. Due to their role's critical nature and occupancy, healthcare facilities naturally carry a higher risk. Establishing a cross-departmental water management team with clear communication and collaboration is essential to protecting patients, the facility's reputation, and ensuring compliance with increasing standards.

Much like the case count, updates to standards and guidelines within the healthcare industry regarding water management for these hazardous waterborne pathogens are rising. In March of 2021, The Joint Commission announced a new environmental standard EC.02.05.02. that will be implemented by January 1, 2022.. The new Joint Commission EC.02.05.02. standard is based on the 2018 CMS memorandum and guidance from the CDC and ASHRAE 188 standard.

How to remain compliant, and more importantly, protect patients

There is no one-size-fits-all solution – no facility is the same – no situation is the same, and there is no single answer. Every case is as unique as a fingerprint. This information is not given to deter but to showcase that it is imperative that various vital players work together, share knowledge, and take a multi-disciplinary approach to prevent an outbreak.

According to Dr. Stout, due to the pathogen's opportunistic nature and because no single solution can eliminate Legionella, mitigating the risk of outbreaks requires a multipronged approach. A collaborative cross-departmental water management team is key for prevention success.

The latest Webinar in the series, It Takes a joint Effort To Target LD: An expert Panel Discussion with Dr. Stout and the Joint Commission Resources, tackles this subject. Join Dr. Stout and fellow experts, Mary A. Cole from the JCR, Al Neuner from Geisinger Health System, and Pam Falk, of Pamela S Falk Consulting, LLC.

Watch the first webinar in the series and learn from these experts today.

About Special Pathogens Laboratory® The Legionella Experts® 

Special Pathogens Laboratory provides detection, control, and remediation for Legionella and other waterborne pathogens in building and utility water systems. Internationally renowned for clinical and environmental expertise in Legionnaires’ disease and infectious disease, Special Pathogens Laboratory provides microbiology services, water management, and education to all sectors, especially healthcare. Our mission is to end Legionnaires’ disease. SPL is A2LA and NELAP accredited and participates in CDC-ELITE and PHA Legionella proficiency programs.

* JCR's production of the content, as sponsored by Chicago Faucets, is on a non-exclusive basis and is not an endorsement of that company or its products or a statement that its expertise or products are superior to those of other comparable companies. Joint Commission Resources and The Joint Commission, as a matter of policy, do not endorse products.