Study addresses UV disinfection challenges - Tru-D SmartUVC

A recent study addresses the most frequent barriers hospitals faced in implementing UV systems and strategies to overcome them, according to an article on the Health Facilities Management website.

The study identified two main issues: identification of rooms that would benefit from UV disinfection, and time constraints to allow environmental services staff time to properly use the system.

Implementation strategies include establishing UV disinfection as a patient- and staff-safety priority - Tru-D SmartUVC.

The study said this helps to overcome conflicts in opinions among nurses, bed control personnel and environmental services.

Originally Published on Healthcare Facilities Today.

New "Nightmare Bacteria" Cannot Withstand UV - Tru-D SmartUVC

As drug-resistant pathogens continue to spread throughout the U.S., hundreds of hospitals throughout the country are deploying Tru-D SmartUVC. UVC disinfection robots to help stop the spread of dangerous superbugs or "nightmare bacteria," as the CDC calls them. Chemical-free and environmentally-friendly, UVC disinfection has been validated by a CDC-funded randomized clinical trial to reduce the risk of acquisition and infection of four major superbugs, including C. diff, by a cumulative 30 percent.

"Since its inception in 2007, Tru-D has been committed to providing the safest hospital environments possible and reducing the risk of acquiring harmful infections such as C. diff, MRSA and VRE," said Chuck Dunn, CEO and President of Tru-D SmartUVC. "Our patented technology has been validated by leading researchers in infection control and epidemiology and adopted by prestigious health systems throughout the U.S."

Cost Savings to Hospitals

The direct medical cost of HAIs to health care facilities exceeds $30 billion annually. Tru-D lowers the risk of patients developing unnecessary and preventable infections transmitted by the environment. Reducing the incidences of health care infections by eradicating the pathogens that lie hidden in health care environments is Tru-D's guarantee of an immediate cost avoidance.

Tru-D allows hospital staff to easily and confidently disinfect virtually any environment, including patient rooms, intensive care units, operating rooms, emergency rooms and public areas. The UVC disinfection robot kills deadly pathogens and common health care-associated infection culprits such as C. diff, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and other bacteria that compromise patient outcomes.

Proven by Science

Validated by more than 15 independent, third-party studies, including the only randomized clinical trial on UV disinfection, which was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the Benefits of Enhanced Terminal Room-Disinfection or "BETR-Disinfection Study"), Tru-D's combined automated, measured dosing capabilities and real-time usage-tracking features make it one of the most precise and advanced automated UV disinfection systems available.

The BETR-Disinfection study, a well-controlled, randomized clinical trial, proves that Tru-D makes a meaningful difference in patient outcomes and provides evidence that Tru-D helps reduce transmission of dangerous infections to at-risk patients. Just as the researchers continue to purchase Tru-D and utilize it in their individual hospitals, they have validated this as a very important step forward for hospitals and is a very significant complement to hospitals' infection reduction programs.

"Data-driven and backed by science, Tru-D is changing and standardizing patient safety and outcomes for health care environments," said Dunn.

For more information or to watch a video on Tru-D's technology, visit tru-dpowerofone.com.

About Tru-D SmartUVC

Only Tru-D delivers an automated, measured dose of UVC light to consistently disinfect an entire room during one cycle. Operating from one placement in the room, Tru-D ensures significant pathogen reduction in direct and shadowed areas. Validated by more than a dozen independent studies and a well-controlled, large-scale, CDC-funded randomized clinical trial, Tru-D's automated, measured dosing capabilities and real-time usage-tracking features make it one of the most advanced UV disinfection systems available.

Originally Published on Yahoo.

STUDY SHARES BEST PRACTICES FOR SUCCESSFUL UVC DISINFECTION - Tru-D SmartUVC

A recent paper has been published detailing the implementation process of the Benefits of Enhanced Terminal Room-Disinfection (BETR-D) study, the first and only randomized clinical trial on UVC disinfection. The new report, “Implementation Lessons Learned from the Benefits of Enhanced Terminal Room (BETR) Disinfection Study: Process and Perceptions of Enhanced Disinfection with Ultraviolet Disinfection Devices,” was recently published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. Among the key items discussed are logistic and administrative processes utilized during the trial and lessons learned that are pertinent to future utilization of UVC disinfection devices in other hospitals.

“The study implementation protocols mirror the messaging and program management process that Tru-D currently uses with our hospital partners,” said Alice Brewer, clinical affairs director for Tru-D SmartUVC. “In order for a hospital to implement a successful UVC disinfection program, there must be good communication, a focus on patient safety, compliance tracking and appropriate resource allocation.”

The BETR-D study aimed to disinfect all contact precaution rooms; during the 28-month trial, Tru-D was deployed in 16,220 of 18,411 eligible contact precaution rooms with the median hospital compliance against contact precaution rooms being 89 percent (86 percent-92 percent). In order to achieve this high level of compliance, the authors urge environmental services leadership to work with infection prevention and bed control departments to ensure that enhanced strategies are prioritized in appropriate rooms.

In addition, the authors noted that administrative leaders are often conflicted on whether or not to use UV disinfection due to the need to promptly admit patients waiting in the emergency department or waiting area. The study authors stated, “We believe that this conflict needs to be viewed as a safety issue because enhanced disinfection using UV devices is an evidence-based strategy to improve patient safety.” The authors further explained that when they tracked the amount of time required to bring a patient to a room labeled as “under pressure” they observed that,

“In our experience, this pressure was related more to perception than an actual barrier to use of the UV device … there was always sufficient time to run a standard UV device cycle.” •

For more information, visit tru-dpowerofone.com.

Originally Published on OR Today.

Tru-D SmartUVC added to hospital's arsenal of infection prevention protocols

Mission Hospital, a Californian-based member of the US St. Joseph Hoag Health network, has added a new layer of proactive protection against the spread of infections in its facility. In addition to stringent manual cleaning processes by the facility's environmental care services (EVS) team, it has adopted Tru-D SmartUVC, a UV disinfection robot, to provide terminal room disinfection once the EVS staff performs manual cleaning protocols.

"Mission Hospital is committed to providing the highest level of patient care possible in the cleanest health care environment possible," says Tarek Salaway, chief executive at Mission Hospital. "The investment of this technology is one of many ways that we are working to safeguard the well-being of every single patient who walks through our doors and protect the integrity of our health care environment."

UV disinfection has been proven by multiple studies as an effective, chemical-free way to rid the environment of harmful pathogens such as C. diff, MRSA, VRE and more. In fact, the recently published Benefits of Enhanced Terminal Room-Disinfection (BETR-D) study results showed that Tru-D reduced the risk of acquisition and infection of target multidrug-resistant organisms among patients admitted to the same room by a cumulative 30%.

After traditional cleaning methods are performed, Tru-D is rolled in to the room to complete the disinfection process. Activated by remote control outside the room, Tru-D operates from one position and administers a single cycle of UV light. Using patented Sensor360 technology, it compensates for room variables such as size, shape and contents, taking whatever time is necessary to disinfect the room. Once the cycle is complete, the operator is notified via audio and/or text message and can be moved to the next room.

"Tru-D has been validated by more than a dozen, independent, third-party studies to show that it is capable of reducing the spread of infectious diseases," reports Chuck Dunn, CEO and president of Tru-D SmartUVC.

"Due to Tru-D's Sensor 360 technology, it was the only device chosen for the first-ever randomised clinical trial on UV disinfection, which was funded by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and conducted by Duke Health."

Originally Published on The Cleanzine.

Study addresses barriers to using UV disinfection - Tru-D SmartUVC

In the Benefits of Enhanced Terminal Room (BETR) Disinfection study, researchers from Duke University set out to prove what many concerned with infection prevention have long suspected: Using ultraviolet disinfection systems helps to reduce health care-associated infections.

However, because a tool is only as good as its user, the researchers have published a follow-up study that addresses the most frequent barriers hospitals faced in implementing UV systems and strategies to overcome them - Tru-D.

The study identifies two key barriers: timely and accurate identification of rooms that would benefit from UV disinfection, and overcoming real or perceived time constraints to allow environmental services (ES) staff time to properly use the system. The researchers then defined five implementation strategies used during the two-year study that involved nine southeastern U.S. hospitals.

Duke researchers give tips to successfully implement UV disinfection systems in hospitals - Tru-D SmartUVC

The first is to establish UV disinfection as a patient- and staff-safety priority. The study’s authors report that doing so helps to overcome conflicts in opinions among nurses, bed control personnel and ES. Next, hospitals must establish regular communication. During the study, ES, nurses and bed control personnel had daily, direct communication that helped to facilitate bed assignment and schedule rooms that needed enhanced cleaning. Other strategies include:

• Deploy the UV device even if the cycle time needs to be cut short because a patient is being admitted.

• Track compliance and share the data with staff.

• Gather necessary resources, such as ensuring enough staff during peak times.

“These UV machines don’t do any good unless they are actually used,” explains Deverick Anderson, M.D., MPH, FSHEA, FIDSA, director of the Duke Center for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Prevention. “We hope hospitals can use the lessons learned.”

Originally Published on HFM Magazine.

Tru-D SmartUVC disinfection robot used to combat 'nightmare' bacteria

Unusually antibiotic-resistant bacteria were recently identified by the CDC's Antibiotic Resistance Lab Network, according to a report issued by the agency last week. The Vital Signs report noted 220 occurrences in the U.S. of germs, also referred to as "nightmare bacteria," which could not be eradicated by the majority of or by any available antibiotics. Tru-d SmartUVC robot is intended to stifle the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria through UVC disinfection in patient rooms, and other hospital areas. A CDC-funded trial of the SmartUVC disinfection robot reduced the risk of acquiring or spreading four key "superbugs" by 30 percent.

CDC infection strategy

CDC employs a containment strategy for antibiotic-resistant pathogens, which involves quickly finding the germs, instituting infection controls, testing asymptomatic patients for the ability to carry the pathogen, and continued assessment and control measures. CDC research found that one-quarter of samples sent to its AR Lab Network had a gene that allowed germs to spread resistance, and facilities with cases of resistant bacteria found one-tenth of screening tests of asymptomatic patients were positive for difficult-to-treat bacteria. However, the CDC's containment strategy was able to reduce infection by as much as 76 percent across three years in a state that implemented the protocols.

"CDC's study found several dangerous pathogens, hiding in plain sight, that can cause infections that are difficult or impossible to treat," said Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director, CDC. "It's reassuring to see that state and local experts, using our containment strategy, identified and stopped these resistant bacteria before they had the opportunity to spread."

Memphis, Tenn.-based Tru-d's SmartUVC system uses ultraviolet light, invisible to humans, as a method to continuously attack pathogens.

"UVC wavelengths are between 200 and 300 nanometers, making them germicidal – meaning they are capable of inactivating microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses and protozoa," Alice Brewer, director of clinical affairs for Tru-d, told BioWorld MedTech. "Tru-d operates at a consistent 254 nanometers, which is the optimal wavelength for disinfection," offering a chemical-free method to destroy microorganisms, including dangerous ones like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and C. difficile, she said.

Infection control without hospital staff

"Tru-d SmartUVC is a portable UV disinfection robot that delivers an automated, measured dose of UVC to consistently disinfect an entire room, resulting in the ability to document disinfection results after each and every room treatment, "said Brewer. "Tru-d operates from a single placement within the room, ensuring significant pathogen reduction in direct and shadowed areas and eliminating the threat of human error in the disinfection process." The device system can be placed as needed in patient rooms or other areas.

"Most hospitals prioritize using Tru-d in isolation discharge rooms, especially C. diff. cases, and nightly terminal cleaning of operating suites," said Brewer. "However, some hospitals use Tru-d in other capacities, including patient rooms, public areas, pharmacy add mix rooms, central sterile departments, outpatient surgery centers, labor and delivery, and more. Decreasing bioburden in all areas of a hospital is key in reducing the risk of infections."

Study results

The cluster-randomized BETR-D (the Benefits of Enhanced Terminal Room Disinfection) study, funded by the CDC, included nine hospitals across Duke Infection Control Outreach Network (DICON) and evaluated strategies for disinfection of terminal rooms for C. difficile, MRSA, multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter, and vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Disinfection was evaluated across four consecutive seven-month time periods in which specific rooms were cleaned by one of four methods: bleach; bleach and UVC; quaternary ammonium disinfectant except for C. diff., which received bleach cleaning; and quaternary ammonium disinfectant and UVC, though C. diff. received bleach and UVC.

Tru-d was chosen for the study due to its prior clinical research, and third-party data, said Brewer. "Tru-d was the only robot that could guarantee an effective baseline of disinfection throughout the room due to its measurement capability through its Sensor360 technology."

Duke applied for and was awarded a $2 million federal assistance application for the study, which included "122,000 patient days; and 22,000 Tru-d disinfection cycles," she said.

During the research, 31,226 patients were exposed to a targeted pathogen and 21,395 were included in the study. Target organisms were lower when UV was added to typical cleaning approaches (n=76; 33 9 cases per 10,000 exposure days; relative risk 0 70, 95 percent CI 0 50–0 98; p=0 036), according to the study. Adding bleach did not significantly impact outcome.

Medical devices and infections

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) gained particular attention among the medical device community a couple of years ago with news of infected endoscopes passing the bacteria to patients. The scopes were sterilized between procedures but the process did not effectively rid the devices of the pathogen. (See BioWorld MedTech, June 27, 2016.)

Activity in the space picked up about the same time. Patient Safe Inc., of Sausalito, Calif., launched its Steriview infection control system, which includes Stericam software to confirm surgical tools are free of fluid and bacteria. Prairie Dog Tech LLC, of Philadelphia, also brought its Pd-vision-enabled The Observer infection control app to market to aid hospital workers in cleaning scopes and other devices with an image database and guidelines.

Other companies also have taken aim at disinfection on a larger scale in the hospital. Xenex Disinfection Services LLC, of San Antonio, Texas, offers a portable robot that uses xenon gas to rid an area of bacteria, fungus, mold and viruses. The device, which also was studied with CDC-backed research, is used by hospital staff. Opgen Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., developed its Acuitas Lighthouse, a multidrug-resistant organism management system for hospitals. The system uses analytics and bioinformatics to monitor infection, and can be accompanied by the company's gene testing to determine who may carry a pathogen.

Originally Published on BioWorld MedTech.

Hospital Receives A Grade from Leapfrog Using Tru-D Technology