Due to the pandemic, millions of elective surgeries around the world have been canceled or postponed. In the U.K., at the end of November 2020, a total of 192 169 patients had been waiting more than 52 weeks for planned surgery, whereas in the same month in 2019 the number was just 1398.¹ Researchers have projected that an average of 45 weeks will be required to clear the backlog created during the first wave alone.²

Hospitals will need to boost the number of elective surgeries performed to care for all patients currently waiting. Efficiency and timeliness will be crucial to turnover operating theatres quickly and hygienically. With only 25% of critical surfaces in the operating theatre cleaned successfully to remove the pathogens³, Ecolab has designed a bespoke programme to help reduce the risk and burden of HCAIs, combining appropriate efficacious products, time-efficient technology and data-driven insights.

In order to help hospitals improve their operating theatre environmental hygiene, Ecolab is proud to launch a new comprehensive infection prevention Premium Operating Room Programme. In the UK, this programme includes an Autonomous Disinfection Robot using germicidal lighting equipment, developed by UVD Robots and Blue Ocean Robotics. Unlike many stationary disinfection robots, the UVD Robot is a mobile, fully autonomous robot, that integrates UV-C light to disinfect against viruses and bacteria on surfaces providing a fully comprehensive infection control and prevention solution.

The UVD Robot solves the challenges of shadowing and repositioning which have hindered the application of UV-C disinfection previously in routine healthcare practice.
With the implementation of the Premium Operating Room Programme, hospitals have the potential to increase throughput with their existing resources:

• Operate with no repositioning requirements
  • The UVD Robot doesn’t require repositioning, reducing process time. This is in comparison to manual systems which do require repositioning with switch off & then time for the lamps to re-start when back in position.
• Reduced Labour Costs
  • Whilst UVD Robot is in process, healthcare professionals can dedicate time to other important tasks.
• Extend the life span of equipment
  • UVD Robot repositions itself to prevent the possibility of UV-C overdose causing material degradation.
  • Prevent yellowing & cracking on equipment which also poses an additional infection risk.
• Repeatable & efficient process for turning over an operating theatre based on compliance data collected through Ecolab’s independent monitoring tools.
• 24/7 access to real-time compliance & efficacy reports across all operating theatres.

Ecolab also offers a national team of clinically trained Implementation Specialists who support the implementation of infection prevention programmes with expert counsel to help identify improvement opportunities. Qualitive effective products and equipment are complemented with actionable insights for disinfection optimization, resulting in a more productive and effective autonomous process.

You can find out more about Ecolab’s Premium Operating Room Programme by contacting our customer service to arrange a visit from your local Clinical Implementation Specialist.

References:

1 Iacobucci Gareth. How is the pandemic affecting non-covid services? BMJ 2021; 372 :n215

2 COVIDSurg Collaborative. Elective surgery cancellations due to the COVID‐19 pandemic: global predictive modelling to inform surgical recovery plans. Br J Surg 2020; https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs.11746

3 A Novel Technique for Identifying Opportunities to Improve Environmental Hygiene in the Operating Room. JULIE JEFFERSON, MPH, RN, CIC; RITA WHELAN, RN; BRIAN DICK, MPH, MT (ASCP), CIC; PHILIP CARLING, MD