Germ-zapping robots
Hospital-acquired infections kill almost 300 people a day in the United States, according to the CDC. To help address the problem, robots are being brought in to clean. For instance, Xenex Germ-Zapping Robots use Xenon-based ultraviolet rather than traditional bleach to non-toxically disinfect patient rooms, medical helicopters, operating rooms, equipment, and more. Although Orlando Health has not dealt with Ebola, it brought in the three-foot robots to clean rooms and is considering expanding its automated army, said Dr. Thomas Kelley, chief quality officer at the South Seminole, Fla., organization in an interview.
Since adding the robot less than two years ago, the hospital has seen a 47% reduction in its most serious cases of hospital-acquired infections, he said. Nearby Dr. Phillips Hospital used the Xenex device during a MERS outbreak and credited the robot for curtailing infection, said Kelley. During InformationWeek's visit, the hospital discussed potentially using the device to sanitize its medical helicopter, something that has not yet been finalized as the facility works on funding of the $104,000 device, he said.
(Source: Xenex)