Longmont, Colorado - Infection control in the United States is losing the battle against Superbugs. According to the Center for Disease Control more people are dying annually from hospital acquired infections than breast cancer and automobile accidents combined.

The January 1, 2014 federal mandate for healthcare requires the use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) for both public and private healthcare providers. There will be an increased risk of cross-contamination with the surge of multi-use keyboards that can spread superbugs within healthcare facilities.

Operator Interface Technology has developed an EMR Keyboard using EPA registered copper alloys specifically designed to assist in the infection control efforts to lower the rate of hospital acquired infections caused by cross-contamination. In a clinical trial funded by the Department of Defense researchers found when replacing only 7% of touch surfaces in 3 hospital ICUs with copper alloys, infection rates were cut by an average of 58%. Actual study results.

“Of all the devices you’ll find today, the keyboard may be one of the most difficult to clean effectively,” an OIT spokesperson said. “Many claim to be ‘washable,’ but the reality is, these products deliver no proactive bactericidal action between cleanings. Only our CuVerro keyboards can do that.”

Indeed. Lab tests show that with regular cleaning, eliminate 99.9% of bacteria** within 2 hours of exposure. As such, they represent the only class of solid surface materials registered by the EPA as effective in killing bacteria* between cleanings.

Operator Interface Technology is a U.S manufacturer registered with the EPA and has been a leader in the design and manufacturer of data entry devices that are known for their quality and reliability in extreme environments since 1993. 

**Laboratory testing shows that, when cleaned regularly, CuVerro surfaces kill greater than 99.9% of the following bacteria within 2 hours of exposure: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus, Entrerobacter aerogenes,Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli O157:H7 and, Vancomycin – Resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE).

The use of CuVerro® antimicrobial copper products is a supplement to and not a substitute for standard infection control practices; users must continue to follow all current infection control practices, including those practices related to cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces. 

This surface has been shown to reduce microbial contamination, but it does not necessarily prevent cross contamination. It should not be interpreted that CuVerro is making claims to solely prevent bacterial infections nor should it be implied that CuVerro products make such claims.