NGMC Gainesville’s ORs are now equipped with new ultraviolet (UV) light technology, making it  the first hospital in Georgia to use this innovation to reduce the risk of surgical site infections.

(NGHS photo)

NGMC Gainesville’s ORs are now equipped with new ultraviolet (UV) light technology, making it the first hospital in Georgia to use this innovation to reduce the risk of surgical site infections. (NGHS photo)

NGMC Gville now using UV lighting in operating rooms

Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Gainesville is the first hospital in the state to install UV light technology designed to reduce the risk of infection in many of its operating rooms.

Far-UVC light is described in a news release as “a groundbreaking technology that claims to safely and continuously eliminate airborne and surface pathogens.”

“We always think about safety first, and we’re also looking for ways to continuously improve through innovation,” says Amy Marsh, vice president of Perioperative Services for Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS), which is home to five hospitals including NGMC Gainesville. “Using this technology in our surgical spaces has the potential to drive even better outcomes for our patients.”

Far-UVC systems are now installed in five operating rooms of NGMC Gainesville’s Blue Tower.

“We’re monitoring the effectiveness of the UV technology and evaluating how successful it is at preventing infection,” says Ron Lewis, MD, medical director of Perioperative Services for NGHS and a general surgeon with Northeast Georgia Physicians Group. “If we see positive impacts, we will consider how to expand its use to other hospitals and locations across the organization.”