May 25, 2015 – Southeast Georgia Health System recently added Tru-D
SmartUVC, a 5-foot 5-inch
germ killing
UV disinfection robot, to its already strict checklist of disinfection
routines aimed at protecting patients from serious hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).
In the U.S., one in 25 patients acquires
a HAI
while being treated. Tru-D (total room ultraviolet disinfection) is one
way Southeast Georgia Health System is raising the bar when it comes to
the level of care it provides to patients.
“The acquisition of this advanced technology is simply another way
that we’re working to safeguard the well-being of patients who walk
through our doors and protect the integrity of our health care environment,”
said Elizabeth Gunn, R.N., MSN, vice president, Patient Care Services.“The
robot supplements our traditional cleaning methods in operating rooms
and patient isolation rooms, such as in the intensive care unit, offering
an additional layer of protection against germs.”
Tru-D, which works by generating UV light energy that modifies the DNA
or RNA structure of an infectious cell, is the only portable UV disinfection
system on the market with Sensor360 technology. The device’s patented
technology automatically calculates the time needed to react to room variables—such
as size, geometry, surface reflectivity, and the amount and location of
equipment in the room—and delivers a lethal dose from a single location,
effectively eliminating lingering pathogens in the entire room, including
shadowed spaces. This technology, coupled with Tru-D’s high-efficiency
germicidal lamps, kills deadly germs such as Ebola, methicillin-resistant
staphylococcus
aureus (MRSA), Clostridium
difficile
(C. diff), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Norovirus and Enterovirus D68.
“Tru-D can achieve 99.9 percent disinfection of all viruses and
bacteria, including influenza, C. diff
and
MRSA,” says Gunn. “The ultraviolet lights bounce off surfaces,
getting around corners and under beds. When combined with appropriate
hand hygiene and contact precautions, Tru-D is making our hospitals safer
for our patients and team members.”
After a Health System team member cleans the room using traditional methods,
Tru-D is rolled into the room to finish the disinfection. The robot is
operated remotely and features
iTru
-D, an application that tracks infection control data and simultaneously
uploads the information to the Health System’s web portal.
“Set-up is quick and easy and does not require
input
of room measurements or covering of windows and vents,” added Gunn.
“The system can disinfect an entire room from one location, eliminating
the need to move it to multiple places in the room.”
The patented Sensor360 technology analyzes the unique variables of the
room and floods the space (both line-of-sight and shadowed spaces) with
the proper dose of UV light energy. Tru-D spends whatever time is necessary
to eliminate infectious germs from contaminated surfaces before shutting
down and audibly notifying the operator that disinfection is complete.