To mark its 40th anniversary, the Institute for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Control hosted an anniversary celebration at the Leitz Hotel in Wetzlar. Originally based in Lich, the institute now operates out of Giessen with a staff of 26, serving numerous hospitals and other medical facilities in Hesse and neighboring states. In addition, it offers a wide range of hygiene and microbiological testing services, such as those related to drinking and bathing water. As an independent testing laboratory, it has also earned a nationwide reputation for addressing hygiene-related technical issues and conducting investigations to identify the causes of infection outbreaks.
Prof. Dr. Burkhard Wille, founder of the Institute for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Control
Following welcoming remarks by the managing director, PD Dr. Frank-Albert Pitten, and the institute’s founder, Prof. Dr. Burkhard Wille, the guests were greeted by Mayor Peter Neidel and Minister of State Kai Klose from the Hessian Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration (HMSI). Social Affairs Minister Klose emphasized: “Improving and further developing hygiene and patient safety is a central goal of the Hessian state government. I am confident that the regulations set forth in the new Hessian Hygiene Ordinance will continue to guarantee—and even further enhance—the high standards of hygiene in Hessian medical facilities.” Klose identified the fight against multidrug-resistant pathogens as a particular priority: “The public health service is an important player in this regard and plays a key role in infection control surveillance.”
Kai Klose, Minister of State, Hessian Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration
In a subsequent keynote address, Professor Dr. Martin Exner (Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn) explained to the 150 invited guests the importance of hospital hygiene against the backdrop of the current challenges facing hospitals.
Professor Dr. Martin Exner, Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn
Managing Director of iki GmbH PD Dr. Pitten, Prof. Dr. Exner, and Authorized Signatory Susanne Prange-Schmidt
Following a musical interlude by the Dialogquartett from Frankfurt am Main, featuring works by Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms, a panel discussion took place on the current hygiene regulations of the State of Hesse, featuring Dr. Angela Wirtz (HMSI), Dr. Georg-Christian Zinn (Director of the Center for Hygiene and Infection Prevention, Bioscientia Ingelheim), Dr. Norbert Köneke (Medical Director of the Lahn-Dill Clinics), Karl-Heinz Stegemann (Chairman of the Association of Hygiene Specialists in Germany, VHD), and Rainer Greunke (Executive Director of the Hessian Hospital Association). It became clear that the current regulation—which requires the training and appointment of anti-infective experts tasked with specifically overseeing the use of antibiotics and antiseptics in all hospitals—is very progressive. The regulation thus addresses the problem of the increasing spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which is to be expressly welcomed.
According to Managing Director Dr. Pitten, iki GmbH will continue to play an active role in the continuing education of physicians seeking the additional certification in “Hospital Hygiene.” However, the greatest challenge for hospitals in the coming years is likely to be not only the search for hygiene specialists, but also, more generally, for nursing staff and physicians. If efforts to address the glaring shortage of doctors and nursing staff—particularly in rural hospitals—fail, there is reason to fear that the quality of patient care will suffer as a result.
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