Forget elbow grease. How about a germ-zapping robot?
A robot named Thor is the latest tool being used by Palomar Hospital to fight common super bugs.
The robot is among 300 at hospitals and medical facilities nationwide that are being used to eliminate microorganisms that can lead to serious infections among patients. These organisms are becoming resistant to standard cleaning practices, officials said.
How it works: the machine shines a UV light that’s a thousand times more intense than sunlight on patient room surfaces, destroying any lingering viruses, bacteria, fungi and bacterial spores.
Melinda Hart, the spokeswoman for the manufacturer Xenex, said even though hospital staffers thoroughly clean a hospital room, some resistant and dangerous bacteria can still lurk.
“Patient safety is our top priority,” she said. “These microorganisms are hard to kill and even the most thorough cleaning doesn’t catch them all.”
The machine costs $100,000, but it has paid off for Palomar Health. The hospital has seen a 30-percent decrease in infections.
“We know it’s the best thing we can do for our patients,” said Susan Trout, disease preventionist for Palomar Health.
Officials say the robot is an emerging tool in health care and they expect it to become increasingly common across the country.
Photo Credit: NBC 7