Clean air in healthcare
For hospitals, understanding indoor air quality is key to improving patient health, and sophisticated monitoring is crucial, explains Dave Lister, Healthcare Solutions Specialist at IAconnects.
In 2024, researchers from St Andrews found that exposure to air pollution is linked to an increased risk of hospital admission for mental illness. This is just one study, but it highlights an important point — the air we breathe can have a profound effect on our physical and mental wellbeing. The study tracked hospital admissions for cardiovascular, respiratory, infectious diseases, mental illnesses and behaviour disorders. It was found that average cumulative exposure to air pollution was associated with higher rates of hospital admissions, both for mental and physical illnesses. Higher cumulative exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter diameter of at least 10μm (PM10) and small particulate matter of 2.5μm or less (PM2.5) was associated with a higher incidence of hospital admissions for all causes.
Hospitals face an uphill struggle in maintaining good indoor air quality (IAQ). Every day, countless patients come through the doors with various conditions and levels of vulnerability. On the one hand, hospital staff must ensure good air quality to protect the individuals in the building. On the other hand, a constant flow of new people means bacteria are regularly being introduced to the environment.
The indoor climate in hospitals
Too often, poorly managed IAQ is overlooked in hospital environments. Airborne pollutants like carbon monoxide (CO) are colourless and odourless, making them almost impossible to detect without advanced monitoring equipment. This invisibility can lead to psychological distance: when a threat isn’t immediately visible or tangible, it often feels less urgent, even in settings where health is the top priority.
In our experience, facilities managers in hospitals and healthcare settings may underestimate the long-term impact of poor IAQ. They might monitor carbon dioxide (CO2) to aid ventilation, but rarely track other pollutants. Of course, this is problematic. For example, elevated levels of NO2, often stemming from hospital traffic or outdated HVAC systems, have been linked to an inflammation of the airways in our lungs and, long-term, lung functionality.
Children are particularly vulnerable. Because they have developing lungs and immune systems, children are more sensitive to allergens, airborne bacteria and chemical irritants. Meanwhile, for those already suffering from respiratory conditions, exposure to poor IAQ will only make flare-ups worse and more frequent.
The need to get ahead
Like any fast-paced environment, it pays to stay ahead in hospitals. This means that simply reacting to poor IAQ as it emerges isn’t an option for hospital staff and facility managers – a proactive approach is needed. This is crucial for preventing a build-up of pollutants, which could adversely affect people on-site. A good starting point is continuously monitoring the levels and trends of various air pollutants, to identify high-risk areas.
Rather than waiting for conditions to breach safe thresholds, hospital and estates teams must constantly track air quality trends as they occur. To get an accurate picture, they should capture data on the pollutant levels across the various hospital zones, whether isolation wards, ICU units or waiting rooms.
At IAconnects, we offer sensors and other IoT hardware and software – and we’ve seen the difference this technology can make. Once installed, hospital teams can track metrics like temperature, humidity, CO2 and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These important data points can provide useful insights into whether a ward, treatment room or waiting area is sufficiently ventilated – or if improvements are required.
Establishing a benchmark
Smart IoT technology can tell us a lot about various pollutants and when they peak, but this data is only useful when pitted against a benchmark. Having already set reference points, buildings and facilities managers can set measurable goals, monitor long-term progress and track regulatory compliance.
Well deployed, intelligent IAQ systems can also support broader hospital management strategies, as seen in our recent work at St George’s Hospital in Tooting. To improve oversight in its smart operating theatres, the hospital’s team deployed over 500 sensors to monitor environmental conditions and occupancy. With the sensors in place, this real-time data informs everything from HVAC control to space usage — both key to good IAQ.
By linking environmental and occupancy data, hospitals can manage their IAQ more holistically. These insights can help with infection prevention while also improving patient experience, staff comfort and the efficient use of clinical space. Over time, this data empowers facilities teams to spot patterns – like recurring periods of poor air quality or underused areas – and respond with targeted improvements.
Clearly, the air we breathe can affect our physical and mental wellbeing, and last year’s study by the team at St Andrews only underlines this. Hospitals must protect patients by filtering out harmful pollutants, but they can only do this once they’ve established a benchmark and understand what’s going on. At this point, monitoring technology becomes essential.
