Staying Ahead of Flu Season: Prevention at Entry Points + Rapid Response Inside the Hospital

ORIGINal Insights Newsletter

 

Staying Ahead of Flu Season: Prevention at Entry Points

+ Rapid Response Inside the Hospital

Each fall marks the start of familiar pressures on the healthcare system: the rise of influenza and seasonal respiratory illnesses like RSV. The challenge begins at the front door — but the true strain hits inside inpatient units as hospitalizations increase.

A strong flu-season strategy means managing both phases:

PHASE 1: Prevention at Ports of Entry

PHASE 2: Response to Isolation Surges on Inpatient Units

 

Phase 1 — Prevention at Access Points

From October onward, symptomatic individuals frequently enter facilities through lobbies, ED waiting areas, and check-in stations. These areas combine sick and well individuals in close quarters — creating an ideal setting for viral spread.

To align with CDC best practices, hospitals should provide:

Masks — to contain respiratory droplets

Hand sanitizer — to reduce contact contamination

Tissues — for cough/sneeze hygiene

Clear instructional signage — reinforcing proper precautions

Why Dispensers Work Better Than Loose Supplies

A standardized PPE dispensing station:

ü  Keeps materials organized, visible, and protected

ü  Ensures consistent placement so patients and staff know where to find PPE

ü  Makes empty stock obvious so it gets replenished promptly

This improves readiness where exposure risk is highest — before illness reaches inpatient units.

 

Phase 2 — Rapid PPE Access for Hospitalized Respiratory Patients

The significant surge comes later — typically December and January — when respiratory illness complications drive more patients into the hospital and into Transmission-Based Precautions.

When the pace of new isolation orders increases, three issues surface quickly:

1️⃣ Isolation carts are already in constant use

MRSA, VRE, C. diff, and other MDROs consume most available carts year-round. Surge conditions expose that capacity ceiling.

2️⃣ Staff resort to improvised PPE locations

Tables and counters create clutter, contamination risk, and slower workflow.

3️⃣ Searching for hidden supplies creates delays

If PPE is stored out of sight, usage naturally drops — not from intent, but from added steps.

In isolation response, compliance matters.

 

Cost-Savvy Surge Strategy

Hospitals can’t simply double their cart fleet to match seasonal demand.

A typical isolation cart costs $1,100–$3600. Carts are essential — but surge-only equipment must be more scalable.

Economical surge solutions

ü  Door-hanging isolation stations ($200–$500)

ü  Wall-mounted PPE stations (durable, always ready at the door)

ü  Portable, dispensing PPE carts (flexible deployment anywhere on the unit)

These improve compliance by keeping required PPE highly visible and always in the same location outside every isolation room.

The right location = faster donning, fewer skipped steps, better protection.

 

Where ORIGIN™ Fits Into Your Flu Season Plan

We design and manufacture American Made PPE dispensing solutions that help hospitals stay ready all season long:

ü  Permanent wall-mounted isolation stations

ü  Portable door-hanging PPE organizers

ü  Mobile PPE stands

ü  Dedicated glove and mask dispensers for clinical workflow

Our solutions are engineered to:

ü  Scale quickly during isolation surges

ü  Improve logical PPE placement and accessibility

ü  Relieve demand on isolation carts

ü  Support frontline workflow when every minute matters

 

Bottom Line: Make the Right Action the Easy Action

Phase 1: Protect at entry points to reduce spread into patient care areas

Phase 2: Ensure rapid, reliable PPE access for every isolation order

Flu spreads fast. PPE access must be faster.

 

A prevention + response strategy keeps patients, staff, and families safer throughout the season.

 

We’re Here to Help You Prepare

If your hospital is evaluating its flu surge readiness, ORIGIN™ can provide:

·         Product recommendations based on past usage patterns

·         Quick-ship surge PPE dispenser solutions

·         Guidance on standardizing layouts for compliance and workflow

Let’s build a smarter, more responsive isolation strategy — before the surge hits.