Infection Prevention
Clarke County Hospital has received a state-of-the-art ultra-violet disinfection machine called the TRU-D. The Hospitals Environmental Services staff received training on the unit this week. The TRU-D is automated (does not require a human presence), and will be used to disinfect exam rooms and other direct patient care spaces, providing additional disinfection protection to CCH staff and patients.
Tru-D SmartUVC is a portable UVC disinfection system that delivers an automated, measured dose of UVC energy to consistently disinfect an entire room during one cycle. Tru-D operates from one placement within the room, ensuring significant pathogen reduction in direct and shadowed areas and eliminating the threat of human error in the disinfection process. Additionally, the robot’s cloud-based data-tracking technology transfers usage data to a customized portal to provide real-time results through concise graphics and exportable records. Validated by more than fifteen independent studies, including the only randomized clinical trial on UVC disinfection, which was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tru-D’s combined automated, measured dosing capabilities and real-time usage-tracking features make it the most precise and advanced automated UVC disinfection systems available.
Rapid COVID-19 Testing Unit
An Abbott ID-NOW COVID-19 testing unit was delivered to the CCH Lab on Wednesday, April 15. Lindsay Masters (Lab Manager) was called by the State Hygienic Lab and asked if we would accept this unit with a couple of operating parameters:
• The Lab agreed to test samples from long term care, assisted living, nursing home, and residential care facilities within a 30-mile radius of CCH.
•The unit would arrive with 70 testing kits, and the lab could expect 24 additional testing kits to be delivered each week for the foreseeable future.
The reasons behind these parameters are obvious: Nearly 50% of all positive COVID-19 patients in Iowa reside in a senior care facility, and with worldwide demand for the test kits, only a small number can be sent every week to each equipment location. These tests are designated to be used for high priority specimens requiring a rapid result and when action will be taken based on the result.
The ID-NOW COVID-19 unit can produce a result in 5 - 13 minutes. Clarke County Hospital’s lab will conduct training and validation on the instrument Thursday afternoon, with the first 10 negative and positive test results confirmed by the State Hygienic Lab (SHL).
In addition to testing with the ID-NOW, CCH will continue utilizing the State Hygienic Lab for testing of COVID-19. With the states goal of being able to conduct 3,000 tests in Iowa each day, Clarke County Hospital will be a regional partner to support those efforts.