Dilution dysfunction: evaluation of automated disinfectant dispenser systems in 10 hospitals demonstrates a need for improved monitoring to ensure that correct disinfectant concentrations are delivered.

Automated dispensers that dilute concentrated disinfectants with water are commonly used in healthcare facilities. In a point-prevalence product evaluation, 9 of 10 (90%) hospitals using dilutable disinfectants had 1 or more malfunctioning dispensers. Twenty-nine of 107 (27.1%) systems dispensed product with lower-than-expected concentrations, including 15 (14.0%) with no detectable disinfectant.