ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, and the Healthcare Surfaces Institute (HSI) announced that HSI has merged with ISSA. HSI will now be known as the Healthcare Surfaces Institute, a Division of ISSA, and the HSI community can become members of ISSA immediately.

HSI was formed in 2015 at the first Healthcare Surfaces Institute Annual Summit. During the past eight years HSI has had many accomplishments including, but not limited to, identifying the many aspects of the surfaces issues and how they support the spread of deadly pathogens via surfaces leading to unaddressed patient and healthcare worker safety risks. Surface disinfection compatibility issues are one of the many overlooked issues being addressed by HSI, and A published case study provided a real-life accounting of these gaps.

The institute includes an advisory committee of world-renowned experts in the fields of healthcare, infection prevention, facilities management, environmental services, manufacturing and engineering, regulatory agencies, microbiology, occupational health and academia. This combination of professionals and thought leaders has brought professionals out of their silos of expertise to collaborate on projects that will support needed change for the creation of sustainable solutions that ultimately will reduce the transmission of deadly pathogens via surfaces. HSI's work includes scientific research, development of guidelines and standards, and outreach and educational programs to support the use of surfaces that support effective and efficient cleaning and disinfection of healthcare facilities.

The merger further augments ISSA’s extensive educational and certification offerings. With the addition of HSI, ISSA gains strength and subject matter expertise in the healthcare sector to bolster education and training and develop new programs to support the industry, especially in the fight against the rampant spread of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) via surfaces. Cleaning and facility solutions professionals are invited to join HSI at a rate of US$290 per year and gain access to select ISSA benefits.

As part of the agreement, HSI Executive Director Linda Lybert becomes a full-time ISSA staff member. Lybert is a 25-year healthcare industry veteran and an established expert on infection control as it relates to the foundational issue of surfaces. She is a published author of numerous articles addressing issues of surfaces and the spread of microbes that can lead to deadly infections. Lybert’s background includes being appointed to the American Society of Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) Planning Design and Construction Committee, and she was instrumental in the development of ASHE’s Sub-Contractor Healthcare Construction Certificate Training program. In 2006, Lybert was appointed to and served on the Facilities Guidelines Institute’s (FGI) Revision Committee.

Lybert will lead the HSI division while working closely with the ISSA management team to develop and implement new training and certification programs, education events and other engagement opportunities for the cleaning, facility solutions and healthcare markets under ISSA’s global platform.