Sentara Healthcare, Cupron, EOS Surfaces, and Encompass Group are joining together to evaluate the clinical and economic effectiveness of deploying antimicrobial copper-based hard surfaces and textiles in a range of healthcare environments.

This comprehensive program is believed to be the world`s largest hospital evaluation to-date of antimicrobial-protected materials, with the goal of combating the spread of pathogens that are known to contribute to healthcare infections. Cupron-Enhanced EOS Surfaces and Cupron-enhanced textiles will be evaluated at multiple sites, including a new 250-bed acute-care facility, to assess the improvement of patient outcomes and the reduction of healthcare costs.

This large-scale program will include the installation of more than 15,000 horizontal square feet of patent-pending Cupron-Enhanced EOS Surfaces. The antimicrobial hard surfaces will be installed on virtually all clinical and patient room surfaces. Textiles manufactured by the Encompass Group will be used for patient bed linens, patient gowns and other textiles.

The trial will initiate this April at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, followed by a large-scale study that will take place at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, Va., where a series of acute care towers are now under construction. The first Cupron-enhanced units are slated to open in Q4 2013. The existing acute care tower without any Cupron-enhanced surfaces or textiles will serve as the comparative. Additional studies are planned for various long-term care facilities and outpatient centers.