(Image source: Mother Nature Network)

BY JIAXI LU

ANCHOR JENNIFER MECKLES

You’ve heard the saying -- duct tape fixes everything.

Well -- new research shows -- it helps fight infectious disease too.

That’s according to a new study conducted by a research team from Trinity Medical Center.  Here’s KNTV.

ANCHOR:  “Researchers decided to create a safe zone at a hospital using duct tape. They made three-foot-square boxes out of red duct tape on a hospital room floor of patients in isolation. They found doctors and nurses could communicate with the patients without putting on protective gear like gloves and gowns. In the end it saved thousands of dollars a year in unused medical equipment and it improved communication between patients and hospital personnel.”

Bloomberg notes, by utilizing these Red Box safe zones, hospitals are saving time and money in unused gowns and gloves.

ANCHOR: “They did a study in a 500 bed hospital where it actually has some real results. They saved about $110,000 a year, 2700 man hours  because you have less time changing into this much, changing to this kind of thing.  Sometimes all you can do is to look at your toolbox to when you are trying to solve a problem.”

Right now, most hospitals follow a simple protocol -- whoever enters a room of isolated patients must wear caps, gowns and gloves. Forbes blogger Alex Knapp doubts the duct tape solution.

“While this protocol does help protect against the spread of infection, it’s also time-consuming and expensive. ...The materials provided don’t indicate whether there was any increased risk of infection that developed over the course of the study. At first glance, it seems like the protocol would make this a non-issue, but it’d be good to see some numbers to back that up.”

In a satisfaction survey, 67% of health-care workers said that the so-called Red Box lessened barriers when communicating with patients. Nearly 80% reported the Red Box saved time. Study author Janet Nau Franck says....

“This is an innovative strategy that could be of great value to other hospitals. … It costs as much as a roll of tape, and yet pays off with significant savings in time, money and increased satisfaction for both patients and staff.”

Franck says she’s been contacted by several doctors eager to employ the red zone in other hospitals.