Updated September 5, 2025
Healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) remain one of the most persistent challenges in patient safety. But they’re not only a clinical concern—construction and facilities teams play a critical role in prevention. From renovation dust to ventilation control, the environment itself can determine whether patients stay safe or become vulnerable.
Why HAIs Matter for Facilities and Construction Leaders
HAIs affect 5–10% of patients who enter healthcare facilities each year, according to multiple studies on nosocomial infections.
For patients, these infections mean prolonged stays, additional treatments, and higher risk of complications. For hospitals, they mean billions in added costs and reputational risk.
While HAIs are often seen as a clinical challenge, they are just as much a facilities and construction concern. Renovations, dust, poor ventilation, and lapses in infection control during projects can directly increase the risk. That’s why Facilities Managers and construction Project Managers play a critical role in prevention.
What Is a Healthcare-Acquired Infection?
An HAI is an infection a patient contracts while receiving medical care. They can occur in any healthcare setting: hospitals, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, or even a doctor’s office.
Common sources include:
- Device-related infections from catheters or ventilators
- Surgical site infections
- Bloodstream infections
- Pathogen transmission between patients and staff
- Antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” that are increasingly harder to treat, according to the WHO.
Learn why STARC is approved—and loved—by Ohio State University’s Medical Center epidemiologists. Read Case Study
The Scope and Cost of HAIs
On any given day, 1 in 31 hospital patients has at least one HAI. That equates to roughly 687,000 patients annually, with about 72,000 HAI-related deaths, based on CDC survey data.
The financial burden is staggering:
- Surgical site infections alone account for $3–10 billion in additional healthcare expenditures annually, according to CDC estimates.
- Five of the most common, costly, and preventable HAIs together cost nearly $10 billion each year, according to research published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Stopping HAIs: Why Facilities Managers and Project Managers Matter
The CDC emphasizes that most HAIs are preventable.
Prevention depends not just on clinical practices, but on the environmental control measures that FMs and PMs oversee.
Examples include:
- Ensuring dust and particulates are contained during construction and renovation
- Maintaining proper ventilation and negative air pressure in high-risk areas
- Following ICRA Class IV/V standards during projects
- Using airtight temporary wall systems instead of plastic sheeting or drywall
This is where STARC’s wall systems—RealWall™, LiteBarrier™, and FireblockWall™—make a measurable impact.
Modular Wall Systems and ICRA Compliance
During construction, remodeling, or renovations, traditional methods like plastic barriers or drywall often fail to contain airborne pathogens effectively.
STARC’s reusable ICRA barriers:
- Exceed ICRA Class IV/V requirements for dust and pathogen containment
- Integrate with negative air machines to maintain pressure differentials
- Create airtight barriers that protect vulnerable patients from airborne particulates
- Install quickly (up to 100 linear feet per hour) with minimal disruption
- Support sustainability by replacing single-use barriers and reducing landfill waste
See how STARC helps facilities exceed ICRA 2.0 standards
FAQs: Healthcare-Acquired Infections and ICRA barriers
An HAI is an infection patients acquire during medical care in hospitals, clinics, or other healthcare settings. They are often caused by devices, surgeries, or airborne pathogens.
Dust, debris, and poor containment during renovations can spread pathogens to vulnerable patients, increasing the risk of HAIs.
Unlike plastic sheeting or drywall, STARC modular walls create airtight, reusable barriers that exceed ICRA Class IV/V requirements.
Because infection control is tied directly to construction and renovation practices. Poor containment can increase liability, costs, and reputational risks for healthcare organizations.
Takeaway: Protecting Patients and Your Facility
Healthcare-acquired infections are a serious threat to patient safety and hospital operations. While prevention involves multiple disciplines, Facilities Managers and construction Project Managers are central to the solution.
By implementing ICRA-compliant containment systems like STARC’s RealWall, LiteBarrier, and FireblockWall, healthcare facilities can significantly reduce the risk of HAIs during construction and renovation.
Talk to a temporary construction wall expert to learn how STARC can help your facility protect patients, staff, and visitors during your next healthcare project.