A small district hospital in Northern California’s wine country is taking a big step to combat hospital-acquired infections and other bacteria.
Sonoma Valley Hospital, overseen by the Sonoma Valley Healthcare District, recently acquired a germ-killing robot manufactured by Texas-based Xenex Disinfection Services.
Its name is Lisa. From the Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
“Unlike standard disinfection systems that use mercury-based ultraviolet light, Lisa uses xenon, an environmentally friendly gas that provides a broader spectrum of UV light.
Sonoma Valley Hospital, which Consumer Reports recently found to be one of the 15 safest hospitals in the country, is using her to improve patient safety even more.
“This is just one more layer to ensure we don’t have infection control issues,” Sonoma Valley Hospital CEO Kelly Mather said. “It’s another safety approach.”
The UV technology is capable of disinfecting a number of viruses, mold and bacteria, including Ebola. But it’s more likely to help the hospital combat common bacteria such as clostridium difficile, or C. diff, multi-drug resistant organisms like methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus or vancomycin-resistant enterococcus, according to Kathy Mathews, a registered nurse who coordinates Sonoma Valley Hospital’s infection prevention
“These types of organisms are quite worrisome,” Mathews told the Press Democrat.
In 2011, there were an estimated 722,000 hospital-acquired infections in acute care hospitals in the U.S, resulting in 75,000 patient deaths, according to the CDC.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
The 83-bed hospital purchased the robot through a donation provided by Bill and Gerry Brinton, owners of nearby Charles Creek Winery.
