BRIDGEPORT, W.Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--United Hospital Center (UHC) announced that with the addition of two more Xenex LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robots™, exclusively for the operating rooms (OR), that it is the first hospital within five bordering states to use a two-minute protocol for between OR case disinfection. Last year UHC purchased three robots, the most in the state, for the purpose of enhancing environmental cleanliness by disinfecting and destroying hard-to-kill germs, bacteria, and superbugs in hard to clean places.
The new Germ-Zapping Robots will be used exclusively for cleaning surgical suites. “Operating rooms are supposed to be sterile environments, but studies show these rooms remain contaminated with microscopic pathogens that can cause Surgical Site Infections even after these suites have been cleaned using traditional methods,” said Dr. Mark Povroznik, vice president of Quality and Chief Quality Officer at UHC. “Surgical Site Infections, which are some of the most commonly occurring infections, can be devastating to patients and cost the hospital tens of thousands of dollars in additional patient care. At UHC getting a potential infection is one less thing that patients have to worry about during surgery.” UHC is ranked number one in the state for the fewest complications as of the December 2017 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare results for Complications and Patient Safety.
Xenex’s LightStrike pulsed xenon Full Spectrum™ ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology has been proven to quickly destroy the germs and bacteria in Operating Rooms (OR) that cause Surgical Site Infections. Hundreds of hospitals use LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots during the terminal cleaning process in the OR after the day’s procedures are complete. Xenex recommends running the robot during the terminal clean. Multiple positions greatly reduce the impact of shadows on UV disinfection efficacy. Studies show, however, that bioburden increases in the OR during the day. A leading U.S. medical institution recently studied the effectiveness of the Xenex LightStrike robot in its ORs and found that the LightStrike robot can effectively disinfect high touch surfaces in an OR in two minutes.
“Running a quick cycle between-cases can be very effective at bringing down the vegetative bacteria bioburden in the OR,” said Chris Courtney, DO, adult reconstructive joint specialist at UHC Orthopaedics. “The LightStrike robot turns on instantly with no warm-up or cool down time, so it can be brought into the OR to quickly disinfect the area around the surgical table and in between procedures.” Xenex Germ-Zapping Robots have been credited for helping healthcare facilities in the U.S. decrease their Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), C.diff, and Surgical Site infection rates by more than 50, 70, and 100 percent respectively.
Uniquely designed for ease of use and portability, a hospital’s environmental services staff can operate the Xenex robot without disrupting hospital operations and damaging materials or equipment in the OR. With a four- or five-minute disinfection cycle, the robot can disinfect 30-62 hospital rooms per day (according to Xenex customer reports), including patient rooms, ORs, equipment rooms, emergency rooms, intensive care units and public areas. More than 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense facilities in the U.S. are using Xenex robots, which are also in use in skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, and long term acute care facilities.
“UHC has long been recognized as a leader in medical technology and highly specialized care,” Dr. Povroznik said. “The investment of the additional robots is important and underscores UHC’s commitment to patient care and the communities we serve in North Central West Virginia.”
About United Hospital Center
United Hospital Center is the result of a merger between St. Mary’s and Union Protestant hospitals in 1970. This bold move provides north central West Virginia with a regional community hospital that offers a vast array of services. The new UHC opened in 2010 and is located along I-79 in Bridgeport. The 692,000 square foot structure rises eight stories. It is designed around the environment with the patient, family, staff and community in mind—which includes enhanced patient privacy, a high level of technology integration and improved access to care. The acute care facility has 292 private inpatient rooms and 24 observation rooms with a medical staff that consist of more than 140 primary care and specialty physicians. UHC employs more than 2,000 Associates and is a member of WVU Medicine (West Virginia United Health System). For more information about United Hospital Center, please visit thenewuhc.com.
About WVU Medicine
WVU Medicine is West Virginia’s premier provider of advanced specialty care and the state’s only academic medical center. It encompasses the specialists, sub-specialists, and primary care physicians of West Virginia University; Ruby Memorial Hospital, WVU Medicine’s flagship hospital on the WVU campus; the WVU Eye Institute, WVU Heart Institute, and WVU Cancer Institute in Morgantown; University Healthcare, which serves the Eastern Panhandle; Potomac Valley Hospital in Keyser; United Hospital Center in Bridgeport; St. Joseph’s Hospital in Buckhannon; and Camden Clark Medical Center in Parkersburg. WVU Medicine also includes dozens of medical offices and a diverse network of affiliated organizations. To learn more, visit WVUMedicine.org.
About Xenex Disinfection Systems
Xenex's patented Full SpectrumTM pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex’s mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by destroying the deadly microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs). The company is backed by well-known investors that include Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures and RK Ventures. For more information, visit Xenex.com.
