[Hygiene in ophthalmological practices : Results from ophthalmological practices in Frankfurt am Main in 2012-2015].

BACKGROUND: Hygiene regulations must be taken into consideration for all diagnostic and therapeutic measures in order to avoid transfer of pathogens and infections. The Infection Protection Act assigns the responsibility for prevention of infections to managers of medical institutions, i.e. the owners of a practice and public health authorities are obligated to counsel and monitor medical institutions with respect to hygiene and prevention of infections. This article presents the results of the surveillance of all ophthalmological practices in Frankfurt am Main in 2012-2015, which are assessed and discussed against the background of the valid recommendations of the Committee for Hospital Hygiene (KRINKO).
METHODS: Based on a checklist, all 35 ophthalmological practices in Frankfurt am Main received counseling and were monitored by an official from the Public Health Office.
RESULTS: The basic principles of hygiene organization as well as the prerequisites for appropriate hand hygiene and surface disinfection were present in the majority of practices. In 11 practices (31.4 %) disposable medical products were exclusively utilized but medical products were prepared in-house in 24 practices (68.6 %). Contact pads for tonometry were prepared in-house in 13 (37.1 %) practices of which 6 were deficient so that improvements had to be implemented. In 6 out of the 7 practices where even critical medical products were prepared, this preparation was prohibited due to significant errors and the practices had to switch to disposable materials. DISCUSSION: In total, the practices could be certified as having a good general level of hygiene; however, in some cases major errors were found in the preparation of medical products, which had to be immediately corrected.