Enhanced UV Technology Improves Hospital Infection Prevention

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 10 Jun 2014

An upgraded Ultraviolet C band (UV-C) disinfection robot performs automated pathogen disinfection of patient spaces.

The TRU-D SmartUVC with iTRU-D exploits Sensor360 technology for instant room analysis and dose calculation and delivery, eliminating the need to input room measurements, floor plans or diagrams needed to designate multiple robot positions, and increased labor costs due to the need to cover windows and vents. As a result, the TRU-D is able to disinfect an entire room—including shadowed spaces—from one location within the room, eliminating labor associated with continually moving it to multiple sites inside the room. The disinfection progress also ensures 3–4 log surface disinfection of pathogens in any space.

Image: The TRU-D SmartUVC with iTRU-D in action (Photo courtesy of TRU-D).

Cloud-based infection prevention data tracking technology provided by iTRU-D reports concurrent prevention, usage efficiency, and risk aversion data. The secure usage-tracking program also sends customized real-time infection prevention reports via an iPad Mini to hospital staff. Among the other features of the system are dose assurance delivered to direct and shadowed high touch surfaces, rapid room disinfection, and environmental safety, since UVC light is not transmitted through glass windows. The TRU-D SmartUVC portable disinfection robot with iTRU-D is a product of TRU-D (Memphis, TN, USA).

“We work closely with our customers to provide a product that fits their infection prevention needs. Second to providing an evidence base for consistent disinfection outcomes to insure patient safety, labor cost is the major consideration in the selection of no-touch room disinfection technology,” said Chuck Dunn, president of TRU-D. “TRU-D is validated by numerous third-party scientific studies proving that TRU-D's patented technology works to eradicate 99.9% of pathogens, which is what's most important to health care customers.”

UV-C light is a UV wavelength of 254 nm that induces the formation of pyrimidine dimers from thymine and cytosine; these dimers in turn cause disruptions in microbial DNA, making genetic replication impossible, thus destroying the organisms or rendering them unable to reproduce. The efficacy of the UV-C irradiation is a function of many different parameters, such as intensity, exposure time, lamp placement, and air movement patterns.

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