2020-2021 HEALTHCARE PRODUCT ALL-STARS
to provide face and eye protection from the splattering/splashing of hazardous or infectious substances, while also delivering added protection against airborne drop- lets. The blue forehead latex-free band is cushioned and offers a snug fit, while the chin-length guard allows cool air flow to the face, ensuring comfortable protection during long shifts. The lightweight anti-fog shield provides continuous, clear visibility and can be worn comfortably with surgical face masks, eyeglasses or safety goggles. When paired with a mask, Ruhof’s Face Shields truly help keep clinicians safe by preventing absent-minded face touching and providing an additional barrier against viral infection.” If anything, the pandemic caused clini-
cians and healthcare workers to redefine and expand their roles and potential risk, according to Alana Suomela, Director, Corporate Marketing, Key Surgical. “As a global provider for protective products such as face masks, face shields, barrier gowns, gloves, etc., our priority is to ensure our customers have what they need in order to perform their duties,” Suomela said. “Of course, the definition of ‘duties’ has now taken on a different form due to the unexpected outbreak of COVID-19. In addition to performing their vital roles in healthcare, clinicians, techs, surgeons, nurses, etc., are now also being called upon to help with COVID cases. Without masks and supplies, our healthcare professionals, ancillary staff, patients, and families would have increased risk of spreading or being exposed to the virus. The need for sufficient supply of PPE is ever present.” Suomela acknowledges the “creativity” shown by clinicians and other healthcare workers in dealing with shortages, but remains concerned about the risk exposure. “The unprecedented increase in demand
caused PPE availability shortage on a global scale and facilities were requiring their workers to reuse single-use face masks and shields, rationing available PPE, and even creating makeshift masks made of cloth or surgical wrap,” she said. “While the creativ- ity is commendable, protection levels – par- ticle filtration, bacterial filtration, etc. – can’t be guaranteed, which puts our front-line workers at contamination risk. Our ability to quickly pivot to design new masks and shields and add them to our product line for our customers helped relieve this shortage, providing proper protective equipment specifically designed for use in hospitals, [for] surgery, etc.” Key Surgical’s OR Clinical Education Manager Michelle Lemmons emphasizes the “need” over the “want,” expressing satisfaction that “we were able to provide
vital supplies to those who needed them when they needed them.”
UV disinfecting/sanitizing light technology
KEY SUPPLIERS: Diversey, Far UV Technologies , Far-UV Sterilray, Steriliz, Tru-D, UV Angel, UVDI, UV Ninja, Vystar, Xenex
FIELD PERFORMANCE: While “germ- zapping robots” may have debuted as a novel way to disinfect rooms with a degree of automated efficiency, they now are taking on COVID-19 in even more novel ways. Not only are healthcare facilities using pulsed ultraviolet light emitted from these por- table units to disinfect surfaces in rooms, but they’re increasingly using them to disinfect face shields and N95 respirators for reuse. Meanwhile, other companies are using UV technology to disinfect and sanitize the air of viral particles before they have a chance to fall to a surface. In addition, some companies are adapting the technology for hand-held wands, pocket-worn badges and even wire- less smartphone-charging stations that sani- tize the germ-riddled communication devices. Executives at Xenex Disinfection Services marvel at the ingenuity of healthcare facilities. “Every day we hear from healthcare facili-
ties about the extreme stress and pressure they are under because of the pandemic,” said Irene Hahn, Xenex’s Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “It’s been our honor to provide them with a technology to assist in their battle against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and the innovation we have seen from the hospitals in their use of our Germ-Zapping Robots to quickly disinfect rooms and areas is inspiring.”
Hospital-acquired infections and manual cleaning remain ongoing challenges, accord- ing to Hahn.
“Before the pandemic, nearly 300 people died in the U.S. every day from an infection they contracted during their hospital stay,” she indicated. “Very little has changed in manual hospital cleaning techniques in the past 20 years, although the superbugs are becoming resistant to antibiotics and some cleaning chemicals. Hospital Infection Pre- ventionists and [Environmental Services] Directors have been asking for new technolo- gies in their battle against pathogens, and now that preventing disease transmission is a global priority, they are getting the attention they have long deserved. Investing in Light- Strike robots is helping them battle not just SARS-CoV-2, but other pathogens that pose a risk to patient safety – for example, MRSA, C.diff and VRE.
“When we began hearing reports from overseas about the spread of [COVID-19], one of the first things we did was to test
12 January 2021 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
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LightStrike against SARS-CoV-2” Hahn continued, “and the robot achieved a 99.99 percent level of disinfection in two minutes. As an evidence-based company, it was very important to us that we confirm efficacy against the actual virus.”
Hahn highlights LightStrike’s speed at deactivating SARS-CoV-2 in two minutes with no warm-up or cool-down time. “Some hospitals have stationed a robot in the ED so they can disinfect every room and area where coronavirus patients are treated,” Hahn noted. “Others have a robot follow the patient from the ED to radiology, and to their COVID-19 unit, disinfecting rooms against SARS-CoV-2 along the way. The robots are being operated in healthcare facilities around the world around the clock, and it’s humbling for us to be part of their pandemic response plan. Post-pandemic, without question, there will continue to be a need for enhanced room disinfection to battle all of the pathogens that pose a risk to patient safety – MRSA, C.diff, and VRE for examples – as well as emerging pathogens. The investment that hospitals are making in disinfection technology will continue to help them fight this battle well into the foreseeable future.”
Diversey Inc.’s MoomBeam3 offers added assurance for disinfection, according to Carolyn Cooke, Diversey’s Vice President of Healthcare Sales, North America. “Facilities are taking extra measures to ensure that staff, patients and visitors are protected,” she said. “MoonBeam3 has demonstrated efficacy in seconds against SARS-CoV-2, and other common healthcare pathogens. The system is portable, weighs 39 pounds, and can easily be transported and operated by any associates in the facility. It has multiple safety features, and is very easy to use. During COVID-19, many of our operators have used it prior to manual clean- ing to ensure staff members feel safe when cleaning.”
Several companies insist that disinfect- ing surfaces is useful and necessary but they don’t stop there. They focus their UV technology on the air, zapping germs before gravity pulls them down to surfaces – even COVID-19. John Neister, President, Far-UV Sterilray, refers to numerous published studies show- ing that 222nm UV technology effectively kills coronavirus and is safe for humans. One of those studies appeared in JAMA Internal Medicine in October 2015. In fact, his company has been making excimer lamps that produce the Far-UV wavelength since 2007 and holds the patent for 222nm disinfection technology. Further, Far-UV Sterilray’s devices can disinfect the air in real time with people present, according to Neister.
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