Industrial masks tested at Allegheny Health Network hospitals - TribLIVE

soworos.blogspot.com

About an hour ago

A research project at Allegheny Health Network aims to facilitate the widespread use of elastomeric masks — reusable respirators typically used in industrial settings — in health systems far and wide.

AHN made headlines earlier in the pandemic for sidestepping the country’s widespread shortage of personal protective equipment, thanks to a partnership with Cranberry-based MSA Safety. MSA’s elastomeric masks, normally used in construction and industrial settings, are reusable and filter out more than 99% of airborne particles. The thick silicon completely covers the mouth and nose, with protruding filters on each side. During the covid-19 pandemic, they’ve become increasingly common in health care settings; MSA and other manufacturers also sell the respirators to consumers at relatively low costs.

After nearly a year of use in AHN hospitals, Dr. Sricharan Chalikonda, the network’s chief medical operations officer, said they’ve become “almost part of the uniform.”

More recently, the network received a $350,000 contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to further evaluate the use of the masks in health care settings. Researchers will gather data and assess the masks’ potential for widespread use during global shortages of personal protective equipment.

“Since we’re one of the first early-adopters of (elastomerics), we have a unique opportunity to serve as a model for the industry, by engaging with our clinicians and leveraging their feedback and experiences to further develop effective PPE strategies,” Chalikonda said.

AHN had published its initial observations about the masks in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons in June – saying the elastomeric masks cost about 10 times less per month than disinfecting and reusing N95 masks, which are intended for only one use.

The current research initiative funded by the CDC will be run through the Pittsburgh-based National Personal Protective Technology Lab — part of the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Researchers will survey AHN workers on topics including mask discomfort, communication challenges, training and disinfecting methods, among other aspects of working with the masks.

One goal, Chalikonda said, is to potentially usher a new model of elastomeric masks, one targeted specifically for health care workers.

“The original intent of these masks was not health care,” Chalikonda said. “They were made to be used in mines and factories — places where you’re not facing a customer or a patient. I do think what we’ll find will help manufacturers create the next generation of elastomerics that will be health care specific.”

In that regard, Chalikonda predicts the survey will touch on difficulties workers sometimes have communicating in the masks, the comfort and weight and other design concepts. He said at least 600 health care workers from across network hospitals will participate in the online survey.

Additionally, with the CDC funding, network leaders have created an implementation guide, a sort of step-by-step process for other hospitals and health providers to replicate if they choose to acquire and transition to elastomeric mask use. The guide includes instructions on how to procure and distribute the masks, as well as tips about their use and sanitation.

By using the elastomeric masks almost since the beginning of the pandemic, AHN was able to avoid the repercussions of PPE shortages felt all around the nation, Chalikonda said. And while the shortage of N95 masks is no longer as pressing an issue, he said the survey and the how-to implementation guide the network has formulated could help any health system prepared for crises in the future.

“We are interested in helping any organization that wants to implement a program, we are open to collaboration (and) we believe this is an important program to protect health care workers,” he said.

Teghan Simonton is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Teghan at 724-226-4680, tsimonton@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Categories: Coronavirus | Local