Global concern about antibiotic resistance and the spread of deadly viruses like MERS and Ebola is at an all-time high. Meanwhile, a recent Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) progress report found that U.S. hospitals have not met national healthcare associated infection (HAI) reduction goals. As evidence of the Xenex Germ-Zapping Robot™’s ability to help hospitals destroy the pathogens that cause HAIs continues to mount, Xenex Disinfection Services today announced its HAI Reduction Guarantee, a new program designed to quickly integrate Xenex robots into healthcare facilities.

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Hospitals utilizing the Xenex Germ-Zapping Robot for room disinfection are reporting significant decreases in their hospital acquired infection (HAI) rates. (Photo: Business Wire)

Hospitals that purchased Xenex Pulsed Xenon Full Spectrum™ ultraviolet (UV) room disinfection robots have reported and published greater than 50 percent decreases in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C.diff) infection rates in peer-reviewed literature, documenting how they used the Xenex robot to reduce infection rates by quickly destroying the microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections. The robot pulses intense UV light covering the entire UV spectrum, destroying viruses, bacteria and bacterial spores including C.diff in a five-minute disinfection cycle. Designed for speed, effectiveness and ease of use, hospital cleaning staff efficiently integrate Xenex robots into a hospital’s existing operations and HAI reduction strategy.

After carefully evaluating infection prevention protocols from Xenex hospital customers that experienced HAI rate reductions, Xenex created the industry’s first HAI Reduction Guarantee, which provides up to a full refund if in the first 12 months of use, customers do not achieve an infection rate reduction sufficient to produce savings to cover the annualized cost of acquiring and operating the Xenex robots. The guarantee applies to HAIs including those which hospitals are required to report to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as key performance standards in the Value Based Purchasing (VBP) and Hospital Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction programs such as C.diff, MRSA and Surgical Site Infections (SSIs).

“Multiple hospitals using Xenex robots have experienced HAI rate reductions after the hospital began using Xenex for room disinfection. Three hospitals have published their HAI rate reductions in peer-reviewed journals and five more HAI reduction studies are in press or in review,” said Morris Miller, CEO of Xenex. “We developed the HAI Reduction Guarantee for other hospitals and health systems that are looking for a proven solution to reduce their infection rates. Our team of experienced infection preventionists, epidemiologists and account managers work closely with hospital staff to rapidly integrate the robots into the hospital's operations to ensure their proper use and deployment, which will result in a reduction in HAI rates.”

Eliminate Toxic Mercury in Hospitals

In addition to its HAI Reduction Guarantee, Xenex has initiated a Mercury Elimination Program™, which allows hospitals in the U.S. and Canada to exchange portable mercury bulb UV disinfection devices in their facilities for Xenex robots so they can help reduce hospital acquired infection rates and minimize the presence of toxic mercury in their facilities.

“We have been told by hospitals using mercury bulb UV devices how bad they smell, that the devices discolor the facility floors, and they take too long to disinfect a room. Many hospitals acquired mercury UV disinfection technology because they didn’t understand the difference between full-spectrum pulsed xenon UV and single spectrum mercury UV light. Now they do,” continued Miller. “We support hospitals’ elimination of toxic mercury in their facilities and we believe so strongly in our technology that we are willing to invest in our customers’ success. The goal of this campaign is simple. We want to get our robots into hospitals quickly so fewer patients will suffer from HAIs. Xenex offers the only UV disinfection technology that utilizes pulsed xenon to create germicidal UVC light and is the only UV disinfection technology shown, in peer-reviewed published studies, to be effective in reducing HAI rates.”

Xenex is now offering a significant discount on the purchase of Xenex germ-zapping robots when hospitals trade in their mercury UV devices. The offer, which is good from July 1, 2015 to September 30, 2015, is open to all hospitals, including those facilities that are contracted with Xenex through Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) agreements.

Xenex will work closely with participating healthcare facilities on the return or proper disposal of their mercury UV devices. When a mercury lamp is to be disposed, it is subject to the current EPA Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) disposal criteria. This test is used to determine if an item can be managed as hazardous or non-hazardous waste. Some mercury lamps are not TCLP compliant and should be managed as a hazardous waste under the EPA Universal Waste Rules for fluorescent lamps. All disposal options will be evaluated with respect to federal, state, and local requirements, and Xenex will strive to recycle products through qualified recycling facilities.

Only UV Disinfection System Proven to Reduce HAIs

MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Cooley Dickinson Health Care (an affiliate of Massachusetts General Hospital and Partners HealthCare System) and other hospitals have published 11 studies providing evidence of the Xenex robot’s efficacy in highly regarded scientific journals that include the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), Journal of Infection Prevention, Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology (ICHE) and BMC Infectious Diseases. Hospitals that purchased Xenex robots have reported greater than 50 percent decreases in MRSA and C.diff infection rates in peer-reviewed literature, documenting how they used the Xenex robot in their real-world hospital environment to reduce infection rates.

About Xenex Disinfection Services

Xenex's patented Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. The Xenex mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by eliminating the deadly microorganisms that cause HAIs. The company is backed by well-known investors that include Brandon Point/Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II and RK Ventures. For more information, visit www.xenex.com.