Lake Hospital System First Community Hospital In Nation To Utilize VaproSure Room Sterilizer In Fight Against 'Superbugs'
Painesville, OH - Lake Hospital System recently announced it has invested in VaproSure Room Sterilizer technology, giving the hospital system a new weapon in the war against hospital-acquired infections. Developed by STERIS Corporation-the global leader in infection prevention and decontamination-the VaproSure Room Sterilizer is the first product of its kind for the health care market.
Lake Hospital System is the first community hospital in the nation - and the only hospital in Northeast Ohio - to purchase the powerhouse piece of equipment that can reliably and safely sterilize all of the exposed surfaces in a room.
"At Lake Hospital System, infectious disease prevention is one of most important things we can do to safeguard the health of our patients, employees and community. The ability to sterilize all of the exposed surfaces in rooms where vulnerable patients receive care is a significant step forward in the ongoing battle against infections at their source," said Cynthia Moore-Hardy, president and CEO of Lake Hospital System.
As highlighted in recent national news media reports, the persistent spread of germs and infections in health care facilities is a significant challenge for patient safety and compromises the ability for hospitals to deliver economically efficient health care services. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that one in every 20 patients in the U.S. contracts an infection while in the hospital, resulting in 99,000 deaths each year with costs to the U.S. health care industry estimated at $30 billion annually.
Earlier this month, The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published study results indicating that drug-resistant staph MRSA is killing more people in the United States each year than the AIDS virus.
"This is a significant public health problem and one that has the potential to become even more menacing," said Carol Cunningham, M.D., EMS medical director for Lake Hospital System and state medical director for the Ohio Department Of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Medical Services. "As germs become more insidious, it's critical that we have the technology to address them."
"The utilization of VaproSure technology will enable us to reduce the spread of biological contaminants and thereby more effectively protect our patients from infection," said Joyce Taylor, vice president of Quality Services for Lake Hospital System.
The VaproSure Room Sterilizer utilizes Vaprox Sterilant (EPA Registration No. 58779-4) to create a dry sterilization vapor that inactivates the full spectrum of biological contaminates on dry, pre-cleaned, exposed, porous and non-porous surfaces within a sealed hospital room. The technology is recognized as a broad-spectrum sterilant, meaning it can destroy spores, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Additionally, the technology is environmentally friendly, reducing to water vapor and oxygen at the conclusion of the cycle. This sterilization process far exceeds the current standard of prepping rooms, which involves wiping down the area and everything in it with bleach.
VaproSure technology is particularly applicable to outbreaks due to emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. It has been adopted in Europe in intensive-care units, operating rooms, patient rooms, burn units, and ambulances. It also has been used for over a decade in pharmaceutical, laboratory, and research applications to provide sterile environments. Under a special EPA exemption, STERIS' Vaprox technology was used to successfully treat the mail facilities of both the U.S. General Services Administration and the Department of State after their contamination during the October 2001 biological attacks.
"STERIS' innovative decontamination technology really is the next step in the evolution of patient care," said Steven C. LaTourette, Congressman, 14th District. "I'm thrilled that Lake Hospital System will be one of the pioneers adapting this technology and am proud to count them among my constituents."
SOURCE: Lake Hospital System