Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic was able to reduce Clostridium difficile infection rates by 30 percent by adding pulsed xenon ultraviolet light disinfection robots to the patient room cleaning process.
According to a Mayo Clinic News Network video, the hospital tested UV light robots for six months in one unit and compared C. diff rates in that unit to a control. Implementing the devices led to a 30 percent drop in C. diff rates, but did add 25 minutes to room turnover time.
"But a C. difficile infection can result in three extra hospital days, so we figured the 25 minutes was a bargain," said Priya Sampathkumar, MD, chair of Mayo Clinic's infection control committee, in the video.
Now, Mayo Clinic uses the UV robots for every discharge in their high-risk units, and has potential plans to expand their use into operating rooms and equipment storage rooms.