PRODUCTS & SERVICES
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
UV technologies attract searchlights
up to, during COVID-19 pandemic But does viral retreat to endemic status dim prospects going forward? by Rick Dana Barlow
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Dreamstime.com D
uring the nearly three-year COVID-19 pandemic, health- care organizations scrambled to locate the silver bullet that would give them the upper hand to disinfect the air and surfaces from the highly contagious respiratory virus. For many, that silver bullet appeared to be cloaked in ultra- violet radiation, and unfortunately, short of comprehensive and effective sourcing, a portion of what was emerging and available on the market seemed to generate questionable results. Opportunistic marketing, coupled with unrealistic expec- tations and compounded by increasing caseloads as well as a powder keg of a working environment compressed an already over-burdened clinical and operational labor force suffering through budget restraints. Until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020,
ultraviolet (UV) technologies for water treatment, heating-ven- tilation-air-conditioning (HVAC) units and whole-room disin- fection enjoyed steady growth since the mid-2000s.
Killing time The fi rst cases of COVID-19 may have caught healthcare pro- viders initially by surprise that quickly morphed into shock as the virus expanded exponentially, depleting personal protective equipment (PPE) prematurely when compared to ordinary daily consumption patterns. “The pandemic caused more people to look into UV technology for disinfecting high-touch items,” recalled Ransom Willard, director and site planner, Hospital Safety Solutions. “During the pandemic, hospitals were looking for a quick and complete process for disinfect- ing items such as N95 masks, tablets and stethoscopes to name
Ransom Willard
a few. Chambers with highly refl ective interiors were used to accomplish that.” During the next few years, healthcare provider organizations concentrated on eliminating pathogens as a top priority with Infection Control, Willard observed. “The challenge continues to be a better understanding of how UV works and a faith in that photo-biological process since we cannot observe how much cleaner an item has become after exposure,” he added. Over the course of the pandemic, more people were learning
about UV technology, which enabled manufacturers to con- centrate on the technology itself, according to Sam Guzman, global sales director—Healthcare Solutions, American Ultraviolet Co. “The research was a benefi t because it meant we had to spend less time educating the clients on the UV basics and we could focus more time on the proper application and their equipment needs,” he indicated. But the viral crisis created another emerging trend. “One of the biggest changes and challenges was that the number of UV equipment manufacturers increased tremen- dously in a short period of time,” Guzman continued. “This is both good and bad—good in so far as it provides the consumer with more options, but bad because some of the ‘UV experts’ weren’t really experts. Selecting the proper equipment for the application, and the proper installation of that equipment is paramount to a successful project.”
Kristine Steely, vice president, Global Sales, UVDI, remembers the plethora of choices that emerged. “UV technology—and manufacturers—for air and surface disinfection proliferated exponentially during the pandemic,” Steely noted. “It led to many unproven technologies seeking to opportunistically enter the market during a time of great need,
hpnonline.com • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • October 2023 43
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