To eliminate pathogens from high-touch surfaces, hospitals can incorporate UV disinfection technology into their cleaning routines, according to an article on the Becker's Leadership and Infection Control website,
Insufficient cleaning of high-touch surfaces can contribute to infection rates. It is estimated that 20-40% of HAIs result from transmission of pathogens by a healthcare worker after touching another patient or a contaminated surface, the article said.
No-touch disinfection technologies should not replace manual cleaning and disinfection processes. However, adjunct technologies, such as UV-C disinfection machines, can become a critical part of how healthcare settings control HAIs.
When deciding to incorporate UV technology into cleaning routines, hospital executives can examine numerous published studies providing understanding of what makes a UV-C disinfection program an effective business move, how UV-C disinfection technology works, what questions to ask when considering UV-C and how to effectively operate UV-C devices.