Addressing knowledge gaps around POU filtration

Despite the devices’ widespread use, many leading industry experts maintain that there is a substantial knowledge gap spanning the specification, use, and management, of point-of-use (POU filters) – something water hygiene specialist, Aqua free, says it is ‘tackling head on’. Bringing together a group of leading names from the water hygiene industry, Aqua free’s UK sales director, Mike Hemingway, recently facilitated a roundtable debate which explored key aspects of POU filters used for medical applications.

Point-of-use (POU) filters, particularly in augmented care environments, are widely considered a safe way to protect vulnerable patients from harmful bacteria. Since these devices first entered the UK healthcare market in the late 1990s, POU filters have come to be recognised as both an important short-term emergency measure, and a permanent infection prevention solution, depending on the ward and patient profile.

Despite their widespread use, we know from discussions and our own experience that there remains a substantial knowledge gap around the specification, use, and management, of POU filters – something our recent roundtable debate sought to address. Throughout the day, the group discussed the challenges for estates and infection prevention professionals in selecting a suitable POU filter, considered the support provided by guidance documents and standards applicable to the UK, and focused on the decision-making process involved in selecting, installing, and subsequently removing, POU filters.