Jun 14 2013
FHN is the first healthcare entity in northern Illinois to utilize a Xenex robot to disinfect patient rooms, operating rooms and other areas.
Requiring only 5-10 minutes to disinfect a room, the Xenex system is the fastest, safest, and most effective method for the advanced cleaning of hospital rooms, scientifically proven to destroy all major classes of microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections (HAI). HAIs, which are caused by deadly pathogens such as MRSA, Clostridium difficile (C. diff), pneumonia and Acinetobacter, are the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Xenex room disinfection robot uses pulsed xenon technology to deliver high-intensity, broad-spectrum ultraviolet light to quickly kill microorganisms on surfaces and in the air without contact or chemicals. The UV light penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms, essentially fusing their DNA, leading to instant damage, the inability to reproduce or mutate, and killing the organism.
FHN's Environmental Services team operates the Xenex robot, uniquely designed for ease of use and portability, without disturbing patients or hospital operations.
“The Xenex system has been proven to be 20 times more effective at killing pathogens than standard chemical cleaning,” said FHN President and CEO Michael Perry, MD. “We are proud to bring this new technology to our hospital to enhance the safety of our patients."
Source: http://www.fhn.org/