Xenex room disinfection system reduces infection rates, studies find

Published: 10-Jun-2013

Hospital studies were carried out in hospitals across the US


Xenex Healthcare Services has found that the use of its room disinfection system at a hospital in Virginia, US resulted in a 98% fall in aerobic bacteria and a 99% reduction in MRSA contamination.

Three more US hospitals have also reported a reduction in their Multi-Drug Resistant Organism (MRDO) and hospital acquired Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection rates after using Xenex Healthcare’s pulsed xenon disinfection system.

Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, MA, reported a 53% reduction in hospital acquired C. diff infection rates after Xenex’s device was used to disinfect patient rooms at discharge, operating rooms, emergency rooms, and other areas.

MRSA infection rates at Cone Health in Greensboro, NC, dropped by 56% in 2011 after the hospital implemented an infection prevention programme that included Xenex’s device, while Westchester Medical Centre in Valhalla, NY, reported a facility wide reduction in both hospital acquired C.Diff and overall healthcare associated infections (HAIs).

Current hospital cleaning equipment and chemicals have proven to be inadequate to eradicate contaminants completely

Mark Stibich,Chief Scientific Officer at Xenex, presented the results of these hospital studies in a poster presentation at the International Forum on Quality & Safety in Healthcare held in April in London, UK.

‘Current hospital cleaning equipment and chemicals have proven to be inadequate to eradicate contaminants completely, but when new UV disinfection technologies are added to routine cleaning, recent studies show hospitals are able dramatically to reduce the number of deadly pathogens in patient rooms,’ said Stibich.

‘We are proud of the research being performed which proves that using our room disinfection “robot” can help hospitals reduce their bacterial count. We now have conclusive proof that hospitals utilising Xenex’s room disinfection system are experiencing a cleaner and therefore a safer environment.’

The Xenex system can disinfect more than 30 rooms each day. It features a pulsed-xenon UV Smart Lamp system that uses reflectors and movement to focus UV light towards high-touch surfaces. An on-board database logs system activity for utilisation tracking and analysis and a visible light filter blocks the bright xenon pulse, so that rooms with interior glass can be treated without distraction. A motion detection system and door guard ensure the safety of patients, visitors, and staff.

HAIs are the fourth-leading cause of death in the US, costing more than US$30bn each year.

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