According to information presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, implementation of a so-called "red box" safe zone can improve interaction with patients isolated due to infection, while reducing staff resources spent gowning and gloving for each patient encounter. The findings are based on data from a single health system that used duct tape to mark off a 3 foot x 3 foot area inside the door of hospital rooms. The researchers found no documented risk of patient infection when un-gowned staff ventured no closer than three feet from the threshold of a patient's room, and said that the red box can be used for about 30 percent of patient encounters when interaction between the patient and caregiver is simple and quick and does not require close proximity. The research team estimates that, since the project was begun in January 2009, it has saved 2,700 hours of personnel time and $110,000 per year in avoided purchase of gowns and gloves.
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