“The story behind the acquisition of our ‘Tru-D’ and ‘Moonbeam’ UVC disinfection devices shows how one innovation can serve multiple purposes, both from a clinical and a marketing perspective.
In 2019, our EVS Director, Deb Showalter, learned of the existence of UVC disinfection devices. She attended a demonstration, which convinced her that UV light disinfection represented a significant improvement over traditional methods of disinfection.
In the following months, the decision was made to introduce hip and knee replacement surgery to RMH. Joint replacement surgeries are more invasive than any procedure we had previously offered. Up until this point, our rate of hospital borne infections was stellar. It was decided that the purchase of a UVC device would positively contribute to maintaining this safety record. A Tru-D disinfection robot was purchased at the end of 2019. The first total joint replacement surgery took place in early 2020. The focus of the ‘Tru-D’ story was to assure the public that the hospital was optimally prepared for these procedures.
By the end of March, 2020, the entire healthcare landscape had been transformed. By the end of April, the public was panicked over the safety of hospitals, certain that they were hotbeds of Covid-19 infections. Disinfection protocols moved to the forefront of concern, both from a safety and a marketing perspective. At RMH, it was decided that what had worked for the OR would also work for our outpatient exam rooms. A second, smaller, ‘Moonbeam’ UVC device was purchased. The UVC story moved from marketing a new surgery to convincing the public that it was safe to come in our doors.
While the purchase of our original UVC devices was hardly serendipitous, the timing couldn’t have been better.”
– Rush Memorial Hospital
Learn more about how Tru-D is used at Rush Memorial Hospital here.
