FIVE TAKEAWAYS

DOING UV RIGHT: HOW A WEST VIRGINIA HOSPITAL ZAPPED HAIS AND AVOIDED REIMBURSEMENT PENALTIES

Hospital-acquired infections can affect a facility’s quality metrics, placing reimbursement penalties at greater risk.

Mark Povroznik, Chief Quality Officer at WVU Medicine’s United Hospital Center, led a webinar on Nov. 8, 2017, that explored how the shift from mercury-based UV disinfection to pulsed xenon ultraviolet has helped hospitals expand their infection prevention efforts, reduce HAI rates and ultimately avoid penalties.

The entire webinar can be accessed at www.modernhealthcare.com/doinguvright

It’s important to evaluate patient zone cleaning

Thirty to sixty percent of surfaces in the patient zone that are colonized with viruses or bacteria are contaminated by organisms that originated in the hospital. If the previous occupant of a patient room has been colonized with an HAI, there’s an 120% increased risk of the subsequent patients becoming infected. That’s why it’s crucial that cleaning methods are evaluated for effectiveness. Fluorescent and ATP Bio-luminescence systems are efficient in tracking successes and failures, and regular cultures can help you identify what pathogens you’re missing.

UV-C implementation does not have to be “all or none”

Identify areas where your facility is most at risk for HAIs, as that will help you determine how many devices you initially need. Keep in mind that UV-C doesn’t replace other infection control practices – providers who implement UV-C shouldn’t be cutting other practices like hand hygiene and terminal cleaning. A UV-C program is only as effective as your implementation strategy, so it’s important to continually engage staff on how to best target the devices.

HAIs remain a significant risk to hospitals across the U.S

It’s estimated that 1.7 million hospital-acquired infections are diagnosed each year, and providers report approximately 99,000 deaths every year related to HAIs. These infections represent a serious financial risk to hospitals, including the high cost of treatment and management of infections, and the potential for payer denials related to HAI treatment. HAIs also reflect poorly on bundled payment initiatives, valuebased purchasing agreements and other value-based deals that penalize providers for lapses in quality.

There are two different approaches to UV-C: Mercury or Pulsed Xenon

UV-C deactivates viruses and bacteria by penetrating cell walls and fusing with DNA to prevent its reproduction. Mercury Vapor creates UV-C light at a wavelength of roughly 254 nanometers, while pulsed xenon creates UV between 200 to 320 nm, the entire germicidal spectrum. Absorption of UV energy by DNA peaks at 200 nm and then again at 265 nm and 280 nm.

Build a business case for purchasing a UV-C device

The cost of a UV-C device can be justified by the cost of treating HAIs, an expense that can vary widely across facilities and cases. Providers also shouldn’t forget about the cost of legal settlements that may arise from HAIs. Real cost also lies in CMS payment reduction strategies — less infections and readmissions means reduced spending and fewer penalties under programs like value-based purchasing (VBP), healthcare associated conditions (HAC) and the readmission reduction penalty (RRP).