Lewis County General Hospital is one of the cleanest hospitals in upstate New York.  Just over a year ago, they began using Hector, a 4-foot tall LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robot™, to disinfect patient rooms.  Since adding Hector to their cleaning arsenal and making LightStrike disinfection their environmental standard of care, they have reported a 20% reduction in infection rates and $132,000 savings as a result of fewer infections.

“We always want to be on the forefront of infection prevention.  Our hospital cleaning team does a wonderful job, but pathogens are becoming antibiotic resistant and harder to kill,” says Karen Aubertine, Director of Infection Control and Environmental Services at Lewis County General Hospital.  “Since adding Hector the Germ-Zapping Robot to our cleaning strategy, we have seen a significant reduction in our infection rates, and this is a true testament to our team and the work they’ve done. The robot has paid for itself in less than a year which is a win-win for patient safety and the hospital’s bottom line.”

Healthcare associated infections (HAI) have been fueled by antibiotic resistant superbugs such as Clostridium difficile (C. diff), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).  These pathogens can linger in patient rooms for weeks or even months, so hospitals are turning to new technologies to ensure their rooms stay germ-free. Xenex LightStrike robots use pulsed xenon, an environmentally-friendly noble gas, to create intense, Full Spectrum™ ultraviolet (UV) light that destroys infectious germs in less than five minutes.

“Lewis County General Hospital is a forward thinking hospital that makes patient safety a priority.  We are honored and privileged to be their partners in their mission to provide outstanding medical care to the community they serve,” said Irene Hahn, vice president of sales and account management at Xenex. “We are proud to recognize Lewis County General Hospital as a Visionary Hospital in recognition of their infection prevention success.”

According to Xenex, Visionary Hospitals are defined as hospitals that 1. Make patient safety a top priority; 2. Seek out and implement technologies with multiple proven outcomes published in peer reviewed publications; 3. Follow manufacturer recommended best practices; 4. Publicize and share results to improve best practices for all hospitals; 5. Openly share their data for their benefit and the benefit of all mankind.