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UV-emitting robots cleanse Searcy hospital rooms

Unity Health is using ultraviolet radiation to clean their hospital rooms as flu cases continue to rise to historic levels.

SEARCY, Ark. (KTHV) — With flu cases reaching an all-time high in Arkansas, Unity Health in Searcy is doing all it can to keep patients healthy and safe.

The new robots are keeping all of their hospital rooms clean.

Chief Medical Officer at Unity Health, John Henderson, said they're the best technology to clean a room and make it safe for the next person that stays in it.

“This robot is a UV light source that uses xenon gas to produce high-intensity ultraviolet light,” he said.

Henderson said the robot destroys bacteria that other technology can't.

“As far as viruses are concerned, like the influenza virus, which is a huge epidemic in Arkansas right now, it's very affective in killing the influenza virus,” he said.

The Director of environmental services at Unity Health, Ed Rouse, said the entire cleaning process takes about 20 minutes.

The ultraviolet rays that shoot out zaps any and all germs. Also, all the doors, cabinets, phones are open and off the hook so the light can penetrate all areas.

The rays aren't harmful, according to infection preventions RN, Meghann Holmes.

“You don't want to be in the room because it could hurt your eyes but other than that it's not harmful,” she said.

She said the machines will do nothing but improve the quality of life at the hospital.

“It should decrease our infection rate by 15 percent,” she said.

Unity Health has three robots and each one has their own name; Henderson 43, Opi, and the Germinator. Washington regional medical center in northwest Arkansas also has this robot-cleaning technology.

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