News Release

For immediate release
Contact: Susan G. Rubin. 312-422-3810

ASHE to Host Important Educational Event on Changes to
Relative Humidity Levels in Operating Rooms

The American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association will host an educational event on the appropriate humidity level in an operating room environment the national standard for establishing relative humidity in Operating rooms have been reduced to 20 percent. Over the years, relative humidity levels have been a source of debate in the health care community. In an effort to provide clarification, the American National Standards Institute/American Society for Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/ASHE Standard 170: Ventilation of Health Care Facilities Standing Committee has issued Addendum "d." The ASHRAE 170 Standing Committee has approved this addendum, which will become effective at the end of June 2010. ASHRAE 170 has been incorporated into the 2010 FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities. The publication of this addendum stresses the aspects of relative humidity in operating rooms in terms of clinical outcomes, comfort and engineering concepts.

To provide important information on this topic ASHE, in conjunction with the Facility Guidelines Institute will sponsor an important educational education event:

WHAT:		The Role of Humidity in Operating Rooms - Demystifying the Myth
WHERE:		Carolinas Medical Center - NorthEast, 920 Church Street, North Concord, N.C.
WHEN:		June 8, 2010
CONTACT:		Susan Rubin at (312) 422-3800 or srubin@aha.org

This program has been designed to provide you with accurate information on the issues surrounding humidity levels in the operating room environment. Input from American Organization of Operating Room Nursing, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc., Centers for Disease Control, National Institutes of Health and ASHRAE were instrumental in designing the program content. As a result of participation, you will be able to:

• Explain the rationale behind this significant change to ASHRAE 170 and the guidelines.
• Prepare health care organizations to implement the lower humidity levels in operating rooms.
• Discuss the effect humidity levels have on surgical site infections, patient outcomes, and comfort.
• Provide health care professionals with well-balanced, pertinent information on the new national standards for humidity in short-stay patient care areas, which includes the operating room.
• Consider the humidity information in the context of overall operating room design standards/parameters and implications for clinicians.

For access to a limited number of press credentials please contact Susan Rubin at (312) 422-3800 or srubin@aha.org.

About ASHE
ASHE is a personal membership group of the AHA. Nearly 10,000 members count ASHE as a key source of professional development, advocacy, and representation of key issues that affect their work in physical healthcare environment. For more information about ASHE contact 312-422-3800 or go to www.ashe.org

###