It’s estimated that 1.5 million Americans contract an infection every year, while  being treated in a hospital. Now, a local medical center is going high-tech in an  effort to better protect patients and visitors.

 

The Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona has drafted a new member into service. A Xenex robot, nicknamed Rosie, has been commissioned to zap germs with powerful, pulsing UV light.

 

Infection Prevention Nurse Jennifer Fouse says, “We bring it in the room, we turn it on, it does its thing with the light.  Any surface that the light touches is thoroughly disinfected.”

 

Studies show full spectrum UV robots like Rosie kill MRSA, C-Diff and a variety of micro-organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and molds.

 

“One of the things we’ve learned more recently is the role of the environment in transmitting infection, and how important it is to make sure that all medical equipment, all items that touch patients, the environmental surfaces of patients rooms, public waiting rooms and public bathroom areas are all very well disinfected,” Fouse says.

 

Veteran Jared Fye, who’s with the hospital’s housekeeping department,  is one of Rosie’s handlers. He brings her into areas that staff has already thoroughly cleaned. 

 

“I think it’s good because nobody’s perfect.  We can miss things,” Fye says. “There’s spaces we can’t get to, just you know, it reaches every single part of the room.”

 

To prepare for the UV cleaning, Fye carefully positions items, particularly those touched by patients.

 

Before activating the robot, he places a placard and a safety cone to alert people about the  pulsing UV light. Both the cone and a motion sensor placed in the room have automatic shutoffs, although the company says the only risks to people are minor skin and eye irritation.

 

Fye says, “It’s actually very easy to use, and once it’s set up and running you can leave it alone in the room.”

 

It takes about 5  minutes for Rosie to go through a normal cycle in an average size room.

 

The company that makes the robots says hospitals  using them, report a major drop in MRSA, C-diff, and infections at joint surgery sites.

 

Other VA hospitals and facilities are also using the UV robots. And J.C.  Blair Memorial Hospital in Huntingdon recently put one into service.