United Hospital Center Uses Germ-Killing Robot - WBOY.com: Clarksburg, Morgantown: News, Sports, Weather

United Hospital Center Uses Germ-Killing Robot

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BRIDGEPORT -

There are daily routines and practices used daily to kill germs and prevent the spread of the flu.

Hospitals in particular worry about the spread of germs and infectious diseases. The United Hospital Center removes some of those pathogens with the help of a robot.

"The IRS 3200. But what it is is high dose ultra-violet C light that is emitted 360 degree. Inside here are just standard bulbs that emit ultra-violet C light," said Dr. Mark Povroznik.

It kills 99.9 percent of germs throughout the entire room, including commonly touched areas that may be forgotten when cleaned by hand.

"Still need to mop and remove physical debris and dirt. For example if there was a blood spatter on the wall from a procedure, this machine would disinfect that...however that blood spot would still physically be there," Dr. Povroznik said.

It takes about seven minutes to zap away the germs in a typical hospital room. UHC is one of a few hospitals to use such a device for room cleaning.

"Our infection rates are extremely low. It will take time to determine, is that fully to this machine? Is it our new facility? Is it all the standard processes we do each day, and we do them well? So in time, we will learn how much of a benefit the addition of ultraviolet C is to room cleaning," Dr. Povroznik said.