Prevalence of HCAI's - April 12, 2016

Summary: Each year, hundreds of thousands of individuals in the United States are infected with Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs).With updated infection technology, including UVC disinfecting, these numbers can be greatly reduced and in turn reduce the number of patient and healthcare worker infections. 

 

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Update on 222nm Exposure and ACGIH Eye Exposure Safety

Finally! We get some real world explanation of TLVs (Threshold Limit Values) and effects on eye radiation using 222 nm technology. A recently published article by the Council for Optical Radiation Measurements titled "Expected ACGIH Eye Exposure When Using 222 nm Ceiling Mounted Sources" gives some vital updates all 222nm users and future users should be aware of.

Far UV-C is the answer to our Pandemic fears

Could Far UV-C (222) help the fight against not only Covid-19 and its many variants, but Monkeypox as well? The answer is yes, yes it can. This article from Biospace.com explains Far UV-C and how it inactivates pathogens. Being that Monkeypox...

222 is the Future of Disinfection at UVC

    For decades, UV-C wavelengths of light have been used to disinfect everything from water to walls. In more recent years 254 nm wavelengths of UV-C light have been the standard in the fight against pathogens. However, there is a...

Shift Workers Beware of Infections Risk!

In todays age, people are working around the clock, literally. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics roughly 7 million Americans work the night shift. With such a large nocturnal population, people should be aware of the additional susceptibility to the risk of infection. A new study published by the University of Cambridge found that the body clock affected the ability of viruses to replicate and speed between cells.

Infectious Disease Mortality Rates Have Flat Lined Since The 1950s - December 9, 2016

When mentioning the topic of infectious diseases and how they have affected the population over the last century, most people would be surprised to learn that the number of deaths caused by infectious disease is similar today to the number it was 60 years ago. According to a report recently published in the journal of the American Medical Association, infectious disease accounted for 5.4 percent of deaths from

C. diff Infections Cause Patient Cost and Mortality to Double

A recent study published in the journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology examined the impact that C. diff infections have on the patient population. Utilizing data from a population-based cohort study among US adults, researchers found that that each year c. diff infections nearly double the patient cost and mortality chances.

Equipping the EVS toolbox September 16, 2016

In the past decade, the number of multi-drug resistant pathogens have increased, yet many environmental service professionals methods of cleaning have remained stagnant. EVS professionals are well aware of the risk of

How to save 37,000 lives over five years.

The White House has backed a plan to fight superbugs — via the tracking of infections, faster tests and new drugs — and has asked Congress for $1.2 billion over five years to implement the program. If successful, the CDCs efforts...

Back to School: Outbreaks! August 19, 2016

As students and staff head into back to school season, it’s not just the curriculum that’s on their mind. In the past year, it seems like the number of outbreaks has increased greatly, especially those linked to Norovirus and other dangerous pathogens.

Medicare's Readmission Penalties Hit New High

Medicare measures the readmission rates of seven conditions: heart attacks, heart failure, pneumonia, chronic lung disease, hip and knee replacements and coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Fines are determined by comparing current rates to...

Readmission Penalties Approaching for Skilled Nursing Facilities - August 5, 2016

One of the most challenging transitions a patient will face is being discharged from the hospital and going to a skilled nursing facility. One fifth of the patients discharged from acute care hospitals are sent to one of the nations 15,000 skilled nursing facilities. According to a new report, skilled nursing facilities will need to address the “Protecting Access to Medicare Act” that starts to take effect in 2018.

MRSA: The Fight Continues

The largest epidemic going on inside hospitals and other health care facilities is controlling the infection MRSA. The staph bug causing these infections resists treatment and because it attacks so many people with weakened immune systems, hospital-acquired MRSA accounts for the vast majority of fatal MRSA infections.

Norovirus strikes at the RNC in Cleveland OH

The Ohio department of health was notified on Monday 7/18/16 about the outbreak of Norovirus among staffers at the Republican National Convention. All of those affected are staying at the Kalahari resort in Sandusky, Oh, about 60 miles away from...

Root Cause of UVC Odor - July 5, 2016

UVC devices have been used for successful disinfection of air and surfaces in multiple industries, more specifically the healthcare industry. However, with the use of these devices it has been often noticed that there is a residual odor after...

People are the most value part of the equation

In the United States, hospitals are in the business of providing healthcare to over 35 million inpatients and performing over 51 million procedures annually. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 5-10% of patients get a...

HCAI's: A Silent Killer - June 17, 2016

"[Infection} can start in the hospital. It can start in the nursing home. It can start at home." The annual reported number of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) in hospitals are documented primarily from acute and...

Dreaded Superbug Reaches the U.S. - May 31, 2016

For the first time in the United States, researchers at the Multidrug Resistant Organism Repository and Surveillance Network (MRSN) at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) found a person carrying bacteria that is resistant to the...

Preparing for the Unexpected - May 12, 2016

Infectious disease disasters have plagued mankind throughout the course of human history. Millions have suffered and died from pandemics such as influenza, Ebloa, rotaviruses, coronaviruses such as SARS, and many more. Yet, according to...

Pathogen Outbreaks in Communities - May 10, 2016

Each year there are numerous pathogen outbreaks in a variety of communities. The first steps in infection control strategies are reduction and elimination of the pathogen. UVC Cleaning Systems technology can be extremely effective in aiding...

Elizabethkingia Bacteria Outbreak - April 18, 2016

Recently, throughout the Midwestern United States there has been an outbreak of the bacteria Elizabethkingia anophelis. The current outbreak in Wisconsin has resulted in 56 confirmed cases and 17 deaths. The bacteria has also been...

Chemical Ineffectiveness - March 31, 2016

Health care workers perform manual cleaning and disinfection using chemicals to routinely clean medical devices and equipment throughout patient rooms. However with the quick turnover rate and many hard to reach areas, numerous spaces may be...

UVC In Flight! - March 24, 2016

UVC infection technology has reached new heights! The Boeing Company, one of the largest global manufacturers of airplanes, is using ultraviolet light to zap microbes in their new self cleaning restrooms. The UV lights clean the lavatories...

UVC Disinfection Market - March 14, 2016

As numbers in health care associated infections (HCAI’s), multi-drug resistant organisms, and environmental concerns continue to increase, UVC disinfection devices have become more prevalent in infection control markets. Hospitals,...