The Methodist Hospital in Houston Adds TRU-D SmartUVC Device to Patient Safety Arsenal

Memphis-based Lumalier, maker of TRU-D SmartUVC, recently delivered its 5-foot-5 germ-killing ultraviolet robot to The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, a recognized leader in innovation and patient care.

Short for Total Room Ultraviolet Disinfector, TRU-D is the signature product of Lumalier, a recognized leader in advanced UV germicidal air and surface disinfection technologies used across many industries, including healthcare, and is the only portable UV disinfection system with Sensor360 technology, which precisely measures reflected UVC emissions and automatically calculates the pathogen-lethal UV dose required for disinfecting health care environments. More than 100 devices have been deployed in hospitals across the U.S. and Canada as an integral part of infection-control team's efforts. Results of TRU-D have been supported by multiple independent peer-reviewed studies conducted by leading authorities in infection control and epidemiology.

"TRU-D SmartUVC can achieve 99.99 percent disinfection of bacteria and spores," says Frank Cain, sales director of TRU-D LLC. "Germicidal light dosage measured by TRU-D modifies the DNA structure of an infectious cell so it cannot reproduce, and a cell that cannot reproduce cannot colonize and cannot harm us. It's certainly breakthrough technology that will enhance patient care."

TRU-D allows hospitals to confidently disinfect their patient environments, from ICUs, patient rooms to surgery suites, killing pathogens, such as influenza, norovirus, Clostridium difficile (C. diff.), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and other pathogens that compromise patient outcomes. Healthcare providers have traditionally relied on manual-cleaning alone to disinfect a patient room after discharge. However, studies have shown this type of cleaning is usually only 50 percent effective, leaving dangerous pathogens behind to lurk. TRU-D is an automated and intuitive system designed to complement a hospital's comprehensive cleaning and disinfection program, eliminating the possibility of human error. TRU-D not only makes the hospital safer for patients, but also for employees.

"Increased evidence in scientific literature indicates that TRU-D disinfection technology has the power to disinfect entire rooms and render common hospital pathogens, such as influenza, norovirus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, harmless to patients," says Mario Soares, director of infection prevention and control. "The Methodist Hospital continues to be leaders in innovation, and the addition of the TRU-D robot and its technology to our team reinforces our commitment to patient safety."

After a hospital staff member cleans the room using traditional methods, TRU-D is rolled into the room to "finish the job." Setup is fast and easy and does not require input of room measurements or covering of windows and vents. The machine is turned on from outside the room using a handheld remote. From a single placement near the center of the room, its patented Sensor360 technology instantly analyzes the unique contents, shape and size of the room, then floods the targeted space (both line-of-site and shadowed spaces) with the proper dose of germicidal energy from the UVC lamps that run up and down its shaft to effectively disinfect without monitoring or moving the device. TRU-D spends whatever time is necessary (usually 20 to 35 minutes) to confidently eliminate infectious germs from contaminated surfaces before shutting down and audibly notifying the operator that disinfection is complete.

Results of TRU-D have been supported by multiple independent peer-reviewed studies conducted by leading authorities in infection control and epidemiology. There are currently more than 100 TRU-Ds deployed in hospitals and medical facilities across the U.S. and Canada.

Source: Lumalier