Sarasota Memorial Hospital Deploys Superbug-Slaying Robot to Protect Patients

Sarasota Memorial Hospital is the among the first of many hospitals in the state of Florida to recently deploy Tru-D SmartUVC™, the pathogen-eliminating robot that uses powerful ultraviolet light to eliminate harmful bacteria, spores and viruses in patient areas – ensuring the safest environment for both patients and staff.
 
Short for Total Room Ultraviolet Disinfection, Tru-D "finishes the job" after a hospital staff member completes traditional disinfection routines, reducing the risk of dangerous infections being transmitted through surface contact. The remotely operated robot works by generating UV light energy that modifies the DNA structure of an infectious cell so that it cannot reproduce - and a cell that cannot reproduce cannot colonize and harm patients.
 
"We still clean every room by hand, but in higher risk areas, we roll Tru-D into the room to guarantee an extra layer of protection," says Greg Rosenberger, director of hospitality services at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, who oversees the hospital's environmental services team.
 
During a pilot study in 2014, Sarasota Memorial Hospital made the decision to purchase Tru-D SmartUVC to help manage the care of potential Ebola patients. Tru-D has been proven effective in killing the Ebola virus, and because of this, multiple robots have been working to fight Ebola in Liberian hospitals since August 2014. But, Ebola is not the primary nor is it the only disease the hospital is proactively targeting with the use of Tru-D, according to Dr. Manuel Gordillio, an infectious disease specialist who serves as the hospital's epidemiologist and medical director of infection prevention and control.
 
"Tru-D is a wonderful tool to have for the remote chance we see an Ebola patient," Gordillo says. "But, its true benefit lies in its ability to help us prevent the day-to-day spread of dangerous germs, viruses and superbugs that threaten every community and hospital in our nation."
 
Sarasota Memorial Hospital purchased the robot after piloting several systems last year and reviewing independent research validating Tru-D's ability to scan a room and automatically calculate the dose of UV light necessary to kill harmful pathogens. Recent comparative studies prove Tru-D SmartUVC to be six times more effective eliminating Clostridium difficile (C. diff) spores, seven times more effective removing vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and twice as effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) compared to pulsed xenon methods. Additionally, Tru-D's Sensor360 analytical technology has led to the device setting the standard for disinfection cycles times in comparison to other UV disinfection devices without this capability.
 
"Patient and staff safety are top-of-mind concerns for healthcare leaders who are looking to continuously bolster their infection prevention efforts by reducing risk and delivering the safest healing environment possible," says Chuck Dunn, president and chief executive officer of Tru-D SmartUVC. "Tru-D's best-in-class effectiveness in eliminating dangerous pathogens from health care environments proves it to be a necessary added layer of protection for today's infection prevention and control efforts."
 
Source: Tru-D SmartUVC