Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, many facilities have and continue to invest in UVC disinfection technology. But have you shared the great news with your entire staff, your stakeholders and the community? Tru-D SmartUVC partners with our hospital facilities to help build communication plans to educate others on the Tru-D technology. Not only is UVC disinfection technology helping to keep your facilities cleaner, but it also shows that as a health care provider, you are taking every precaution possible to help ensure the highest levels of disinfection. Here are a few examples o ..read more

The Tru-D® SmartUVC portfolio of product’s cornerstone for success is the ability to measure the proper UVC dose for thorough room disinfection. A disinfecting dose of UVC is a function of time and intensity. The Tru-D technology will never compromise the proper time to deliver an adequate disinfecting dose to ensure microorganism reduction. Therefore, every room or space will require a different cycle time in order to ensure complete room disinfection. For instance, a small bathroom will take less time than a larger hospital room or even an operating room with lots of equi ..read more

Tracking usage of the Tru-D device(s) is key to ensure all targeted rooms are being cycled. Tru-D SmartUVC provides weekly/monthly/quarterly reports upon request and through the new SmartHUB to monitor the usage of the device. Joint review calls following installation are also important to keep the Tru-D SmartUVC program as a high priority and hold key people accountable. Steps to a meaningful UVC disinfection program include: – Documenting a baseline for priority microorganisms that will be the focus of the program. – Documenting the date of implementation. Prior to and du ..read more

Education and training are top priorities during UVC device installation. This is not only for Tru-D device operators, but unit staff as well including RNs, Nurse Managers, HUCs, Physicians, Administrators and Environmental Services staff. Rounding the hospital with Tru-D device before training gives the hospital staff time to ask questions and voice concerns while the Tru-D device representative is on site. Operator training includes classroom training (with a  written test), on-the-floor training in patient rooms and OR suites and a competency form for any ..read more

The entire Tru-D SmartUVC team works to build strategic, robust disinfection programs that are tailored to address each hospital’s disinfection goals. Over the next few weeks, we will be discussing tips for implementing a successful UVC disinfection program. Prior to implementing a Tru-D UVC disinfection program, our team will schedule pre-implementation calls to help guide teams and stakeholders at facilities to focus on a specific microorganism and/or a specific area of the hospital in which to launch their program. Setting goals, assigning a champion and prioritizing UVC disinfect ..read more

Credit: Jason Nitsch/Texas A&M University Division of Marketing and Communications. The stationary robot, called Tru-D or “Trudy,” uses 28 bulbs and eight ultraviolet C (UVC) centers. Medical facilities need multiple layers of defense to ensure the highest level of cleanliness because no single approach can completely eliminate the environment of microorganisms.  The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) recently acquired a Tru-D robot, affectionately called “Trudy,” to help maintain high levels of cleanliness throughout the facility.  Pam Douglas, infection ..read more

Candida auris (C. auris) is an emerging fungus that presents a serious global health threat. It is a type of yeast that can cause severe illness and spreads easily among patients in health care facilities. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is concerned about C. auris for three main reasons: It is often multidrug-resistant, meaning that it is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs commonly used to treat Candida  Some strains are resistant to all three available classes of antifungals. It is difficult to identify with standard laboratory methods, and it can be misidentified in labs without ..read more

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that from Oct. 1, 2022, through April 30, 2023, there were 27 to 54 million flu illnesses; 12 to 26 million flu medical visits; 300,000 to 650,000 flu hospitalizations and 19,000 to 58,000 flu deaths.1 The CDC expects flu activity in the U.S. to increase during the fall of 2023 and that the 2023-2024 flu season will be similar to the 2022-2023 season in terms of the total number of hospitalizations.2 Flu in the Northern Hemisphere is often caused by viruses similar to those that spread in the Southern Hemisphere during its winter f ..read more

In 2015, following a pilot study, Sarasota Memorial Hospital was among the first of many facilities in the state of Florida to deploy the Tru-D® technology to ensure a clean health care environment for patients and staff. Over the years, Sarasota has expanded its fleet of Tru-D devices to 11, and it is used in a wide array of areas throughout the health care system. In April 2023, Sarasota Memorial Hospital participated in a month-long trial of the new Tru-D iQ system and had a positive experience with the state-of-the-art disinfection technology. “We received positive feedback from staff who ..read more

Over the past few years, several companies have entered the UVC disinfection market with claims of autonomous systems that make the process easier and more effective. Some claim that autonomous and/or “self-propelled” devices reduce cycle times and increase surface disinfection. However, many of these claims have not been backed by data and research. What does “autonomous” mean? “Autonomous” technology refers to any technology that can function and execute tasks without being controlled by a human. Autonomous devices learn from their surroundings and complete tasks without continued human inpu ..read more