New Operating Room Light Fixtures Prove Highly Effective in Reducing Bacteria in Tennessee Hospital
Columbia, Ten. and Kenosha, Wis. (PRWEB) March 29, 2017 -- Proven, Patented Technology Helps Maury Regional Medical Center Reduce Daily Bacteria Levels in OR
As part of its ongoing efforts to have zero Surgical Site Infections, Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, TN has instituted a comprehensive range of initiatives designed to provide a cleaner, safer environment for their patients with the Indigo-Clean™ Continuous Environmental Disinfection system at its center.
Indigo-Clean fixtures use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to generate visible white light that also contains a narrow spectrum of indigo colored light. This indigo color uses a wavelength of 405 nanometers (nm) to automatically, safely and continuously disinfect the air, hard and soft surfaces. The 405nm light is absorbed by molecules within bacteria, producing a chemical reaction that kills the bacteria from the inside as if common household bleach has been released within the bacterial cells. When the OR is not being used, the lights can be switched to an Indigo-only mode, providing a higher degree of safe disinfection.
“The Indigo-Clean lights provide another means of protection for our patients by reducing bacteria in the environment,” said Lynnelle Murrell, Director of Infection Prevention for Maury Regional Medical Center. “Patient safety is our number one concern and Indigo-Clean is one more tool to help us with our mission of zero hospital acquired infections.”
Murrell further commented, “We are particularly interested in deploying Indigo-Clean because it can be operated automatically and continuously throughout the day without the need for additional staff. This is a critical benefit that gives us greater confidence without increased operational costs.”
“Other disinfecting technologies are currently available to hospitals and health systems, but are optimized for daily or on-demand applications, “said Cliff Yahnke, Ph.D., Kenall’s Director of Clinical Affairs for Indigo-Clean™. “Hospital staff needs to be trained to operate the technology, increasing cost and creating potential compliance issues which can easily undermine their benefits. Indigo-Clean™ uses visible light to automatically, continuously, and safely disinfect the environment 24/7 without the need for additional training or staff.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on any given day, around 1 in every 25 U.S. hospital patients contracts an infection in a healthcare setting. A CDC survey estimates that 75,000 hospital patients with hospital-acquired infections died during their hospitalization in 2011, and nearly one fourth (157,500 patients) developed infections from surgeries. Increased prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is estimated to kill up to 99,000 Americans and infect another 1.7 million each year.
“Surgical Site Infections are the most costly form of HAI and providers are placing a renewed focus on improving cleanliness in the OR as part of a comprehensive bundle,” said Yahnke. “We applaud Maury Regional Medical Center for seeing the benefits of Indigo-Clean and becoming an early adopter of this proven and safe disinfection technology.”
Maury Regional Medical Center installed Indigo-Clean light fixtures in one OR in October 2016 and plans to install additional OR rooms over the next few months.
About Maury Regional Health
Maury Regional Health serves more than 200,000 people across southern Middle Tennessee. Maury Regional Medical Center (MRMC), a 255-bed facility, is the largest medical center between Nashville and Huntsville and serves as the flagship for the system of inpatient and outpatient facilities. MRMC has been evaluated by outside organizations and compared to some of the most respected medical centers in the country. For 2017, Maury Regional Medical Center was ranked number one in Tennessee for overall hospital care in the area of medical excellence by CareChex.com®, — an information service of Quantros, Inc. The medical center offers a wide range of advanced services including an accredited heart program, neonatal intensive care and cancer center. In addition to Maury Regional Medical Center, Maury Regional Health includes Marshall Medical Center in Lewisburg, Wayne Medical Center in Waynesboro, Lewis Health Center in Hohenwald, Family Health Group physician practices, as well as additional facilities across southern Middle Tennessee. For more information, visit MauryRegional.com.
About Kenall, manufacturer of Indigo-Clean™
Indigo-Clean™ is an affiliate of Kenall Manufacturing, which has earned a reputation for lighting challenging applications. Since its inception in 1963, Kenall has been known for superior quality, exceptional value, and durable solutions, and it is proud to provide sealed lighting for containment or clean spaces, security lighting for detention facilities, and specialized healthcare and transportation applications. Kenall products are designed and manufactured in the USA and meet the guidelines established under the Buy American Act and the North American Free Trade Agreement. For additional information on Indigo-Clean™, visit our website at http://www.indigo-clean.com or contact us directly at 262-891-9200.
Michele McCawley, Kenall Manufacturing, http://kenall.com/, +1 262.891.9744, [email protected]
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