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IN HEALTH NEWS -- GERM
ZAPPING TECHNOLOGY. NEWS
EIGHT MEDICAL REPORTER JOCELYN
MAMINTA WENT TO SEE FOR
HERSELF -- WHAT ONE
CONNECTICUT HOSPITAL IS DOING
TO ENSURE PATIENT SAFETY.
JOCELYN?SONIA-DARREN - WHEN
YOU ARE ADMITTED TO THE
HOSPITAL -- THERE IS A RISK OF
-- CONTRACTING A DEADLY
BACTERIA OR VIRUS.STAMFORD
HOSPITAL IS THE ONLY ONE IN
THE STATE WITH THE LATEST HIGH
TECH TOOL DESIGNED TO
'MINIMIZE' -- THAT RISK.
THIS ROBOT -- -- SHOOTING
OUT HIGH INTENSITY ULTRA-
VIOLET LIGHT -- IS THE LATEST
ARSENAL AT STAMFORD HOSPITAL --
IN THE WAR AGAINST HIGH RISK
GERMS. "IT USES A PARTICULAR
KIND OF UV CALLED UVC." THE
TARGET? -- POTENTIALLY DEADLY
INFECTIONS -- SUCH AS MRSA AND
C-DIF-- THAT CAN BE ACQUIRED
IN HOSPITALS. "IN THE PAST WE
LOOKED AT STERILE PROCEDURES
AND HAND HYGEINE AND HITNGS
LIKE THAT, NOW WE'RE LOOKING
AT -- IF IT'S IN THE
ENVIRONMENT, IF THERE'S A
RESERVOIR OF THESE ORGANISMS
IN THE ENVIRONMENT. WE HAVE
TO GET RID OF THAT, IT'S JUST
CREATING TOO MUCH RISK." DR.
MARK STIBICH CO-INVENTED IT.
"BECAUSE ORGANISMS- THE DNA
WILL ABORB THIS LIGHT -- THIS
HIGH ENERGY LIGHT. IT
ESSENTIALLY DIFFUSES THE DNA
TOGETHER AND AT THAT POINT THE
ORGANISM CAN'T CAUSE AN
INFECTION." THE HOSPITAL
ALREADY HAS A VIGOROUS
CLEANING PROGRAM IN PLACE.
DR. MICHAEL PARRY IS THE
DIRECTOR OF INFECTIOUS
DISEASES AND MICROBIOLOGY.
"PATIENTS PICK UP GERMS FROM
SURFACES IN WHAT WE CALL HIGH
TOUCH SURFACES IN THE PATIENTS
IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT THE TRAY
TABLE, THE TELEPHONE, THE CALL
BUTTON." DESPITE THE
THOROUGH SCRUBBING -- THERE
IS STILL A ONE TO TWO PERCENT
RISK OF PICKING SOMETHING UP.
"AND THAT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE
ARE SICK. THEY GET CATHETERS
PUT IN THEM, EITHER BLADDER
CATHETERS OR CENTRAL LINES."
"ALL OF THESE THINGS MAKE
PATIENTS SUCEPTIBLE TO
INFECTION." IN ABOUT 15
MINUTES -- A PATIENT'S ROOM IS
DISINFECTED BY THIS LATEST
APPLICATION OF U-V. "THIS
ULTRA-VIOLET TECHNOLOGY ADDS
AN EXTRA MEASURE OF SAFETY AND
EXTRA LEVEL OF DISINFECTION."
"WE SEE IN STUDIES THAT
WHOEVER IS ADMITTED TO A ROOM,
THEY ARE AT A HIGHER RISK FOR
WHATEVER THE PATIENT BEFORE
THEM HAD WHICH MAKES SENSE. WE
WANT THAT TO GO AWAY, WE WANT
THAT HIGHER RISK TO GO AWAY."
STAMFORD HOSPITAL HAS ONLY HAD
THE TECHNOLOGY FOR ABOUT A
MONTH -- SO IT'S STILL TOO
EARLY TO ASSESS IT'S IMPACT
-- BUT OTHER HEALTH FACILITIES
HAVE REPORTED POSITIVE
RESULTS. MOSES CONE HEALTH
SYSTEM IN NORTH CAROLINA --
SAYS IT HAS SEEN A 45 PERCENT
DROP IN 'MRSA' INFECTIONS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION -- LOG
ONTO WTNH DOT COM.