Maintaining Cleanliness and Safety: Modern Technology for Hospital Air and Surface Disinfection
Patients, visitors, and staff's health and wellness depend on adequate air and surface disinfection in hospitals. The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that one in 31 hospital patients in the U.S. gets at least one hospital-acquired infection (HAI) daily, prolonging lengths of stay and increasing costs.
To protect patients from HAIs and staff from infectious pathogens, many hospitals and other healthcare facilities are turning to no-touch and chemical-free methods, like UV-C hospital surface disinfection and hospital air disinfection. For instance,
UV-C hospital air disinfection can inactivate the coronavirus, which the CDC reports remains infectious for 16 hours in respirable-sized aerosols.
UV-C hospital surface disinfection can inactivate the microbial pathogens (Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and parasites) found on high-touch surfaces in hospitals - the leading cause of HAI.
History of Hospital Air and Surface Disinfection
Hospitals have used UV-C air and surface disinfection systems for decades to protect patients, staff, and visitors from disease-causing pathogens. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended controlling tuberculosis hospital air disinfection with UV-C in 1999. Then, in 2003, the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) sanctioned its use in hospitals.
Lee Health Regional Cancer Center, Fort Myers, Florida
Lee Health installed Lumalier AR Series UV-C Fixtures inside the cancer center's air-handling units in close vicinity to the cooling coils to effectively inactivate viruses and other airborne infectious pathogens, reduce Air Handling Unit (AHU) energy consumption, improve indoor air quality (IAQ), and to help mitigate risks, liabilities, and the costs of HAIs.
What is UV-C for Disinfection?
Ultraviolet light at a frequency between 200 and 280 nm (UV-C) provides a highly effective germicidal air and surface disinfectant against mold, spores, fungi, viruses, and bacteria. UV-C radiation works to disinfect pathogens by penetrating their cell walls and damaging their DNA.
Lumalier UV-C Lights for Hospital Air and Surface Disinfection
For over 60 years, Lumalier's advanced UV-C germicidal disinfection products have provided hospitals with UV-C lights for air and surface disinfection - a science-based approach to eliminating pathogens that improves indoor air quality and limits the spread of infectious agents. It also lessens energy and HVAC maintenance. In addition, the CDC, EPA, ASHRAE, FEMA, and many other health organizations endorse UV-C technology.
Lumalier offers three basic types of UV-C lights that target facility-wide airborne pathogens within a hospital: AR Series UV-C, Upper-Air UV-C fixtures, and Surface Disinfection UV-C Fixtures.
Lumalier’s AR Series UV-C for Hospital Air Disinfection
Lumalier's Air Handler Unit (AHU) and duct fixture, the AR Series UV-C, improves a hospital's indoor air quality and energy efficiency.
Hospitals can install the Lumalier AR Series UV-C within the existing ventilation system to disinfect airborne pathogens and distribute air hospital-wide, and minimize the occurrence of HAIs. The Lumalier AR Series UV-C Fixtures offer hospitals several financial and environmental benefits:
Maximizes square-foot disinfecting coverage at the lowest cost
Eliminates microbial growth on coils and drain pans that can cause odors, coil fouling, and early failure of air conditioning equipment
Lessens energy consumption and maintenance - an ROI benefit for hospitals
Lumalier UV-C Upper-Air Products
Lumalier Upper-Air UV-C fixtures target airborne pathogens in high-risk areas, like waiting rooms, nurses' stations, exam rooms, etc., to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy efficiency:
Hospitals can install upper-air UV-C fixtures in spaces with high or low ceilings, regardless of square footage.
Upper-air UV-C fixtures allow for permanent or short-term installation for flexible space uses.
Units neutralize and eliminate infectious airborne pathogens that cause respiratory infectious disease.
Units disinfect air continuously, 24/7, in occupied spaces to keep the air clear of airborne pathogens.
Natural convection currents create continuous air disinfection within defined areas. Also available in fan-assisted models for added ventilation.
Lumalier offers three upper-air options: ceiling-mounted, wall-mounted, and hybrid units.
Lumalier Surface Disinfection UV-C Fixtures
Lumalier Surface Disinfection UV-C Fixtures (portable and fixed) disinfect contaminated surfaces, which can lessen the spread of HAIs and minimize risk management.
Portable Surface Disinfection UV-C Fixtures
Lumalier offers three portable surface UV-C disinfection units that provide two mobile emergency response units for quick disinfection: The EDU and EDU-C Series,
Hospitals can disinfect contaminated desks, floors, tables, pharmacy equipment, morgues, or any difficult-to-disinfect surfaces with fixed and portable surface disinfection UV-C fixtures.
Fixed Surface Disinfection, UV-C Fixtures
Lumalier offers four options of fixed (permanent) surface UV-C units for daily disinfection: BLU, FL, UVS, and ASD Series:
Lumalier UV-C Lights for Hospital Air and Surface Disinfection
Lumalier's UV-C lights for hospital air and surface disinfection can effectively inactivate viruses and other airborne infectious pathogens, lessen Air Handling Unit (AHU) energy consumption, improve IAQ, and alleviate risks, liabilities, and costs of HAIs - all factors that can improve a hospital's ROI.
For example, a study found that disinfecting unoccupied patient rooms with UV-C significantly reduced C. difficile infections (CDI) in high-risk patients who later occupied those rooms, resulting in substantial healthcare savings between $350,000 and $1.5 million annually.
To learn more about using UV-C lights for hospital air and surface disinfection, contact us today or call (901) 800-1709 to talk to our engineering, sales, and customer service teams!