Two Ultraviolet Sanitizing Machines Donated to EvergreenHealth

Anonymous Donor Gifts EvergreenHealth Foundation Two Ultraviolet Sanitizing Machines to 

Support the Health and Safety of Patients and Staff

Advanced UV-C technology kills infection-causing pathogens to provide another layer of protection

Kirkland, Wash. – An anonymous donor recently provided a generous grant to the EvergreenHealth Foundation for the purchase of two additional Clorox Healthcare^® Optimum-UV™ Enlight Systems in recognition of the hospital’s comprehensive infection control plan and adept response to COVID-19. Following standard cleaning and disinfecting procedures, the mobile Optimum-UV™ Enlight System is used to ensure even hard-to-reach areas are thoroughly treated with short-wavelength ultraviolet light, or UV-C, which eliminates dangerous pathogens in 20 minutes or fewer.

“We are grateful to this donor for their dedication to safety and quality, and are honored to receive such a generous contribution,” said Jeff Tomlin, MD, CEO of EvergreenHealth. “This gift supports our ongoing commitment to providing the safest care to our community each and every day, and it will make a valuable impact for years to come.”

Since 2018, EvergreenHealth has been using UV-C machines to sterilize patient rooms as part of its standard health and safety protocols. The donation of two additional machines offers increased capacity for sanitizing large surfaces throughout all hospital facilities, including public and staff restrooms, and waiting rooms and break areas. Additionally, the two new machines are being used to sterilize providers’ N95 masks to extend their lifespan and enhance the safety of all staff and visitors.

“In the one month since we’ve received the donated UV-C machines, we have run approximately 3,419 cycles, or 285 hours of use—the equivalent of disinfecting 1,140 patient rooms. We have also sanitized 450 N95 masks,” said David Reed, manager of environmental services at EvergreenHealth.

“In the fight against COVID-19, upholding rigorous infection control standards remains critically essential, and we are incredibly grateful to this donor for their generosity,” added EvergreenHealth’s director of support services, Kevin Kajita.

This charitable gift was in addition to the donor’s previous $1M pledge to EvergreenHealth Foundation, to be distributed over 10 years in support of EvergreenHealth’s ongoing commitment to hand hygiene and patient safety. The first installment in 2019 funded the purchase of CleanSlateUV disinfecting machines for EvergreenHealth’s Critical Care and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), where the hospital’s most vulnerable patients receive life-saving treatment.

The CleanSlateUV is a compact machine that also uses UV-C light to sanitize handheld devices, such as mobile phones, tablets and badges. Staff and visitors can simply put their device inside the machine to activate a chemical-free, 20-second sanitizing cycle. The machine can be placed near hand-washing stations to allow users to practice hand hygiene before removing their disinfected device from the machine.  

EvergreenHealth has a strong track record of upholding patient safety measures, consistently earning high safety and quality scores from industry associations like the Leapfrog Group, Healthgrades, The Joint Commission, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Becker’s Hospital Review, among others.

“Maintaining an environment of absolute safety is at the core of our care delivery model,” Dr. Ettore Palazzo, EvergreenHealth’s chief medical and quality officer. “The generosity of this benefactor enables our health system to sustain our commitment to delivering the highest-quality care.” 

Learn more about EvergreenHealth’s commitment to patient safety at www.evergreenhealth.com/absolute-safety. If you are interested in making a donation to the EvergreenHealth Foundation to support the health system’s treatment of COVID-19, please visit www.evergreenhealthfoundation.com.

 About EvergreenHealth  

EvergreenHealth is an integrated health care system serving nearly one million residents in King and Snohomish counties with a breadth of services and programs that are among the most comprehensive in the region. Formed as a public hospital district in 1972, EvergreenHealth includes a 318-bed acute care medical center in Kirkland and a 72-bed hospital, EvergreenHealth Monroe, which is an accredited, full-service public hospital district established in 1960 in Monroe, Washington. The system also includes a network of 13 primary care practices, five urgent care centers, more than two dozen specialty care practices, extensive home care and hospice services, and 24/7 emergency care from its Kirkland, Monroe and Redmond locations.  

EvergreenHealth remains committed to its purpose to enrich the health and well-being of the community by providing clinical excellence in more than 80 specialties and through extensive community health outreach and education programs, anchored by the 24/7 EvergreenHealth Nurse Navigator & Healthline.  

The health system is consistently named as one of Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals and it is one of only 407 hospitals nationwide to hold a 5-Star Overall Rating from the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS). Learn more at www.evergreenhealth.com.