CWZ is getting a special colleague: a robot that completely disinfects patient rooms. The smart technology of the robot takes some of the heavy work off the hands of cleaning employees.
Don’t give pathogens a chance
Hygiene is of vital importance in a hospital. It is crucial for the health of patients and employees that pathogens do not get a chance, because they should not run any additional health risks. That is why many areas, such as patient rooms and operating rooms, are carefully disinfected. This important task rests on the shoulders of the cleaning staff. It’s hard work, because invisible culprits can hide in every corner. They are now getting help.
Powerful UV-C light
From October robot SAM will drive through the corridors of CWZ. Together with the cleaning staff, the robot will completely disinfect the rooms. He does this with powerful UV-C light, which shines into the room from large lamps on the robot. Facilities manager John Verberne: ‘The robot is made by the engineers of the company Loop Robots, which has already built robots for several Dutch and Belgian hospitals. We have been using a static UV lamp for disinfection of rooms for years, so the step to a mobile robot is logical. SAM can do its job even more effectively in nursing rooms. It is currently a trial period for a few months. We are looking forward to the result of this test period.’
Ideal team of people and technology
SAM cannot do it all alone. First, the cleaning staff ensure that a patient room is free of dust and dirt. Then the robot drives into the room to make a scan of the room, with which it maps all surfaces. He then shines his powerful beams of light on every millimeter of the room. The UV-C light destroys the hereditary material, called DNA/RNA, of micro-organisms such as bacteria and viruses. As a result, they can no longer reproduce and are no longer harmful. This minimizes the risk of an outbreak of infection. SAM only needs 15 minutes per room. As soon as he is ready, he will let the employees know. They take him directly to the next room, which they have already prepared. An ideal team of people and technology!
Less heavy and healthier work
‘Working with the robot is not only important in the fight against hospital infections, but also makes the work for the cleaning staff more attractive and less stressful. With SAM as a colleague, they no longer have to work with very strong chemical agents, which is healthier for people and the environment. Everyone can rest assured: the employees all keep their jobs and when robot SAM has been in the room, every millimeter has been disinfected,’ says John. Myrthe Ex, customer manager for care at cleaning company Gom, is happy with the pilot: ‘We are very pleased to have such a handy colleague on board. SAM is always there for us. We hope that the trial will show that the disinfection of rooms further improves and that SAM contributes to patient safety in this way.’