The fixture uses light-emitting diodes that have a specific wavelength that can kill Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium difficile and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, among others.
Froedtert Hospital started testing the light fixtures in its gastroenterology endoscope clinic’s waiting room earlier this year. After testing more than 1,000 samples during a four-week period, the hospital found a 40 percent continuous bacterial reduction while the fixture was configured in such a way to kill bacteria but still create the look of white overhead lighting.
“The initial results suggest even higher levels of bacterial reduction could be obtained with a configuration optimized for the area taking into account its size and patient traffic,” said Nathan Ledeboer, PhD, an associate professor of pathology at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. “We are beginning a second evaluation to understand the potential impact of an optimized configuration upon bacteria levels in medically relevant spaces within our institution.”
Kenosha Medical Center is still evaluating the system, using two identical rooms using different configurations of the fixture: One will have two blended light fixtures spaced across the room, and the other will have an indigo-only 405nm fixture in the middle of the room.
“Hospital-acquired infections have increased the cost of healthcare, so finding effective methods to safely inactivate the organisms that cause these infections is very important,” said Tom Duncan, vice president and COO of United Hospital System in Kenosha, the parent of Kenosha Medical Center. “We are very interested in documenting how Indigo-Clean can improve the hospital environment and benefit patient health outcomes.”
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