TOLEDO, Ohio — The future of fighting coronavirus and other microorganisms is here, with a sanitizing robot answering the call as a high-tech way to keep people healthy at an area hospital.
ProMedica Toledo Hospital recently added a sanitizing robot that uses bursts of intense ultraviolet light to quickly destroy microorganisms that can cause infections, including the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The sanitizing robot has been proven to deactivate SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) on surfaces in two minutes.
The sanitizing robot offers hands-free sanitation to surfaces that may not be easily accessible using patented pulsed xenon UV light technology and will not damage materials or surfaces in a room. The broad spectrum UV light emitted by the sanitizing robot has been proven to quickly and safely destroy viruses and bacteria.
“ProMedica’s commitment to offering the highest level of quality care to its patients has always been a top priority,” Sade Rolon, ProMedica associate vice president of environmental services said. “Patients can now have an extra sense of comfort in knowing its facilities are safe and clean, even as we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Cloud technology allows the sanitizing robot to report key metrics to the ProMedica environmental services employee operating the sanitation device. Metrics include who last handled the device, how long it ran and which rooms have been disinfected. The sanitizing robot also has sensors that immediately shuts off the UV light when motion is detected in the room to ensure the operator's safety.
ProMedica’s Risk Management Grant Program funded the sanitizing robot. Grant recipients are selected for equipment that aims to improve patient outcomes, ensure patient and employee safety and support or implement new best practices.