Mar 28 2013
Memphis-based Lumalier, maker of TRU-D SmartUVC™, recently delivered its 5-foot-5 germ-killing ultraviolet robot to Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Md., marking well over 100 devices now being deployed in hospitals across the U.S. and Canada as an integral part of their infection-control teams.
Short for Total Room Ultraviolet Disinfector, TRU-D is the signature product of Lumalier – the recognized leader in advanced UV germicidal air disinfection products used across many industries, including health care – and is the only portable UV disinfection system with Sensor360™ technology, which precisely measures reflected UVC emissions and automatically calculates the pathogen-lethal UV dose required for disinfecting health care environments. Results of TRU-D have been supported by multiple independent peer-reviewed studies conducted by leading authorities in infection control and epidemiology.
"TRU-D SmartUVC can achieve 99.99 percent disinfection of bacteria and spores," said Bob Taylor , sales director of TRU-D LLC. "Germicidal light energy generated by TRU-D modifies the DNA structure of an infectious cell so it cannot reproduce, and a cell that cannot reproduce cannot colonize and cannot harm us. It's certainly breakthrough technology that will enhance patient care."
TRU-D allows hospitals to confidently clean their patient environments, from ICUs, patient rooms to surgery suites – killing pathogens, such as influenza, norovirus, Clostridium difficile (C. diff.), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and other pathogens that compromise patient outcomes. Health care providers have traditionally relied on manual cleaning to disinfect a patient room after discharge. However, studies have shown this type of cleaning is usually only 50 percent effective, leaving dangerous pathogens behind to lurk. TRU-D is an automated and intuitive system designed to complement a hospital's comprehensive cleaning and disinfection program, eliminating the possibility of human error. TRU-D not only makes the hospital safer for patients, but also for employees.
"The goal is to reduce the residual bacterial load in the environment that we may or may not be aware of," said Dr. Mary Clance , hospital epidemiologist at Anne Arundel Medical Center.
After a hospital staff member cleans the room using traditional methods, TRU-D is rolled into the room to "finish the job." Setup is fast and easy and does not require input of room measurements or covering of windows and vents. The machine is turned on from outside the room using a handheld remote. From a single placement near the center of the room, its patented Sensor360™ technology instantly analyzes the unique contents, shape and size of the room, then floods the targeted space (both line-of-site and shadowed spaces) with the proper dose of germicidal energy from the UVC lamps that run up and down its shaft to effectively disinfect without monitoring or moving the device. TRU-D spends whatever time is necessary (usually 20 to 35 minutes) to confidently eliminate infectious germs from contaminated surfaces before shutting down and audibly notifying the operator that disinfection is complete.
Bearing the marks of both ETL and UL safety ratings, TRU-D is proven to be a completely safe system, and more than 100 TRU-Ds have been deployed to disinfect hospitals across the U.S. and Canada. Facilities currently using the TRU-D include the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and UNC Health Care.