UV Robot Expands Sanitization Practices at Anderson

Industrial mobile UV-C sterilization units.
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DATE POSTED: July 16, 2020

Anderson Regional Health System is utilizing UV light emitting robots to provide enhanced sanitization across its facilities. Studies show that UV (Ultraviolet) energy is proven to kill bacteria, fungi and viruses, including 99.999 percent of coronaviruses.

Jason Cain, RN, MSN, Director of Nursing at Anderson Regional Medical Center, said, “The robot is enhancing our infection control procedures with faster, more effective disinfection. For example, it typically takes 45 minutes to effectively clean a patient room manually with disinfectant wipes, and then another 30 to 60 minutes for the chemicals to dry and airborne germs to dissipate. The UVC energy emitted by the robot kills the germs in 15-20 minutes after a thorough manual cleaning, greatly decreasing the wait when a new patient needs to be admitted to the room. Most importantly, the utilization of a robot decreases the exposure risk for our environmental services team members.”

UVC energy is a wavelength range of Ultraviolet energy spanning 200-280 nanometers (nm). The UVC Robot specifically employs the highly germicidal 253.7 nm bandwidth to cause photochemical damage to cellular DNA and virus RNA. This biological damage inactivates the cell by preventing replication and therefore infection capability. Germicidal efficacy is determined by the overall dose of UVC, which is a product of lamp output (i.e., intensity) and exposure duration. Through effective, single-cycle, whole-room disinfections, the robot delivers the correct dose of UVC energy, ensuring maximum automated germicidal treatment with every cycle.

Dr. Keith Everett, Chief Medical Officer at Anderson Regional Health System, said, “Infection prevention has always been and will always be a priority in our hospitals. Sanitizing our facilities is not a new practice, but the potency of the COVID-19 virus requires us to enhance our sanitizing routines and ensure our processes are at a maximum. The UVC robot technology is capable of removing any potential contamination in just minutes, which allows us to maximize safety and efficiency for our patients and staff.”

Anderson Regional Health System is utilizing UV light emitting robots to provide enhanced sanitization across its facilities. Studies show that UV (Ultraviolet) energy is proven to kill bacteria, fungi and viruses, including 99.999 percent of coronaviruses.

Jason Cain, RN, MSN, Director of Nursing at Anderson Regional Medical Center, said, “The robot is enhancing our infection control procedures with faster, more effective disinfection. For example, it typically takes 45 minutes to effectively clean a patient room manually with disinfectant wipes, and then another 30 to 60 minutes for the chemicals to dry and airborne germs to dissipate. The UVC energy emitted by the robot kills the germs in 15-20 minutes after a thorough manual cleaning, greatly decreasing the wait when a new patient needs to be admitted to the room. Most importantly, the utilization of a robot decreases the exposure risk for our environmental services team members.”

UVC energy is a wavelength range of Ultraviolet energy spanning 200-280 nanometers (nm). The UVC Robot specifically employs the highly germicidal 253.7 nm bandwidth to cause photochemical damage to cellular DNA and virus RNA. This biological damage inactivates the cell by preventing replication and therefore infection capability. Germicidal efficacy is determined by the overall dose of UVC, which is a product of lamp output (i.e., intensity) and exposure duration. Through effective, single-cycle, whole-room disinfections, the robot delivers the correct dose of UVC energy, ensuring maximum automated germicidal treatment with every cycle.

Dr. Keith Everett, Chief Medical Officer at Anderson Regional Health System, said, “Infection prevention has always been and will always be a priority in our hospitals. Sanitizing our facilities is not a new practice, but the potency of the COVID-19 virus requires us to enhance our sanitizing routines and ensure our processes are at a maximum. The UVC robot technology is capable of removing any potential contamination in just minutes, which allows us to maximize safety and efficiency for our patients and staff.”