Hospitals, Policy

Can Vestagen’s medical textile technology save doctors’ white coats and reduce HAI transmission?

Doctors' white coats have been the source of much debate in recent years. Although they are a powerful symbol of the medical profession, they are also identified as source for the spread of hospital acquired infections are spread. Vestagen, a medical textile company, developed a technology that acts like Gore-tex but for hospital apparel.

Doctors’ white coats have been the source of much debate in recent years. Although they are a powerful symbol of the medical profession, they are also identified as a source for the spread of hospital-acquired infections. Vestagen, a medical textile company, developed a technology that acts like Gore-tex but for hospital apparel. It’s designed to repel body fluids and contaminants that can contribute to the spread of hospital-acquired infections. It is in the second month of a Keep the Coat campaign to rival the Hang It Up initiative.

The company’s technology is part of the $14 billion hospital acquired infection market, which includes infection control devices. The drive to reduce HAI is part of a broader effort to reduce hospitalization costs and improve public safety.

In an interview with MedCity News, Vestagen CEO Ben Favret said he can appreciate the motivation behind the drive to get rid of doctors’ white coats but believes the alternatives are not much better. If HAI can be spread through doctors’ coats, they can be spread through other clothes as well, such as scrubs. One aspect of the Hang It Up campaign involves medical staff rolling up their sleeves or working with short-sleeved scrubs, which he agrees could be effective. But, he adds, hospital scrubs have potential problems as well. On the other hand, Favret says doctors’ white coats have been part of a hospital uniform for 100 years. They reinforce trust and reassurance for patients. He believes taking away the white coat would undermine that.

Some survey results seem to reinforce that perspective. Surveys by the Oschner Journal, published by the Oschner Health System, and the American Journal of Medicine found that patients favored doctors in white coats.

Vestagen’s scrubs and lab coats use a group of technologies to repel liquids, resist bacteria and enhance comfort. First, a fluorine/silicon oxide-based technology binds to individual fibers of the garment to resist water, blood and bodily fluids. For the antimicrobial piece, the company uses a technology it calls Semeltec. Hydrophilic properties on the inside of the material keep away sweat.

Favret said its Keep the Coat campaign has received positive feedback and says it will run for six months. In the meantime, there’s been discussion of introducing a tougher antimicrobial standard for hospital uniforms. It will be interesting to follow this debate to see if technology can keep the tradition alive.

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