Plastics Color And Fitsi Collaborate To Produce Antimicrobial Bedside Caddy Designed To Improve Patient Hygiene


CHICAGO, IL — In hospital environments, proper hand hygiene is crucial to prevent the transfer of dangerous bacteria. Per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 275 patients die daily from hospital-acquired infections, in part due to the transfer of bacteria via unclean hands. Annually, two million patients are diagnosed with hospital-acquired infections, making hand hygiene a major concern.



To create a viable hand hygiene solution for hospitals and patients, Nurse Kathleen Puri, and former healthcare consultant Caroline Mitchell teamed with Plastics Color Corporation. Fitsi is a newly developed plastic bedside receptacle for hospital patients that stores hand sanitizer and other personal items, giving patients self-service hand hygiene access directly from their own beds — ideal for those with limited or no ability to utilize bathroom facilities for hand washing. Fitsi gives patients and visitors convenient, constant access to hand sanitizing gel, providing potentially life-saving opportunities to mitigate the spread of harmful bacteria.



The Fitsi caddy attaches to the patient's bedrail, and its patented design allows Fitsi to be rotated as the bed changes position. Additionally, not only does Fitsi allow ready access to hand hygiene, it also provides its own protective benefits. The caddy is made from plastic that features MicroBlok®, an innovative antimicrobial additive developed by Plastics Color Corporation.



MicroBlok® inhibits the growth of bacteria, which can cause stains, odors and product deterioration, on the treated plastic. By incorporating MicroBlok® into the Fitsi caddy, Fitsi Health has created a patient-friendly solution to hand hygiene, suited for hospital environments. Puri says Fitsi gives patients "the ability to clean their hands without the help of a caregiver, as well as a place to store comfort essentials (moisturizer and lip balm) and personal items (phone, eyeglasses and more)."



Through the search to find an alternative to triclosan, an antibacterial agent that may contribute to the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the Fitsi team paired with Plastics Color, a global leader in the plastic industry with over 50 years of experience providing color concentrates, functional additives and custom polymer masterbatches.



As Puri stated, "Plastics Color's excellent customer service, along with their knowledgeable and helpful product development team, is what ultimately led us to the selection and implementation of their antimicrobial solution."



Ideal for hospitals, doctors' offices, and facilities where medical devices, medical packaging or appliance cleanliness is crucial, MicroBlok® offers the most comprehensive line of antimicrobials in the industry. It has undergone laboratory testing under ISO 22196:2011, which ensures it has the high efficiency antimicrobial action.



Fitsi is quickly filling a vital market need for the new product's initial November 2015 launch. Plastics Color continues to meet production demand of MicroBlok to fulfill industry demand. Learn more about Fitsi and Plastics Color online.



About Plastics Color Corporation

Established in 1964, Plastics Color Corporation is an industry leader in colorants, compounds, additive masterbatches and custom polymer technologies. With an enduring commitment to new and innovative products, Plastics Color's North Carolina based Solution Center is the foundation to many state-of-the-art products that go on to lead an extensive range of markets. With manufacturing facilities in California, Illinois, North Carolina, and China, Plastics Color continues to deliver top of the line products backed by the accreditation of the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation. For more information, visit www.PlasticsColor.com, or follow us on our social networks here: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Google+.



About Fitsi Health, LLC

Fitsi Health, LLC is a healthcare innovation firm dedicated to developing well-designed solutions to everyday healthcare problems. Fitsi, the company's signature product, is a bedside product that helps patients perform hand hygiene while providing a place for storage of important personal items such as glasses. It promotes patient independence and saves healthcare workers time and effort. Fitsi Health can be found at www.FitsiHealth.com, and on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.



MicroBlok® is formulated with antimicrobials to help suppress the growth of odor and stain-causing microorganisms on the treated plastic. MicroBlok is not intended as a substitute for good hygiene or to prevent foodborne or infectious illnesses.




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