Led Suutari Oy, a Finnish company from Varkaus developing ecological and energy-efficient disinfection solutions, has created a new disinfection product family called the IQ MOBILE. According to the results of a research project completed in January, the IQ MOBILE product family is very easy to use, and it efficiently destroys the MRSA bacteria which cause hospital- acquired infections and are resistant to antibiotics. The devices utilize new UV LED technology, and research reports from independent research organizations revealed that after a four-minute- treatment in the UV LED disinfection unit, bacteria such as the MRSA were almost completely destroyed. The microbiological efficacy of the devices has been studied by, for instance, the University of Eastern Finland and Biosafe Ltd in Kuopio. The IQ MOBILE product family has been specifically designed to disinfect mobile devices. Their disinfection, as with other electronic devices used in healthcare, has been challenging in the past due to their design and the restrictions set by the manufacturers. Several component manufacturers recommend avoiding the use of strong chemical disinfectants when wiping the surfaces of the devices, and this has decreased the chances of cleaning the devices properly from pathogens. The IQ MOBILE devices are in use, for example, in the Kuopio University Hospital. In addition, the devices are in test use at the University Hospitals of Helsinki, Oulu, Tampere and Turku. According to Veli-Jukka Anttila, a docent of internal medicine and senior physician at the infection center of Helsinki University Hospital, resistant bacteria, such as MRSA, are a major health care issue in both Finland and worldwide. The most important act to prevent the spread of multiresistant microbes is good hand hygiene. Multiresistant bacteria thrive on the surfaces found in a hospital environment, and on electronic devices such as mobile devices, keyboards, electrical healthcare equipment and phones. Cleansing these surfaces from microbes is often difficult and time-consuming. Anttila considers the microbe contamination of the mobile devices of healthcare personnel and patients to be an everyday problem. It is also possible to forget to disinfect one's hands after touching a mobile device and then moving on to treat a patient. "The UV LED disinfection system by LED Suutari could be a solution to the disinfection problem of mobile devices in a hospital environment. When developing the device, it is important to establish good co-operation with the final users as well as manufacturers, and to have sufficient displays on the microbiological efficacy of the system", says Anttila. Led Suutari Oy intends to introduce the device innovation to the global market as soon as possible. So far, there is no competition on the market, so in spite of the role of a pioneer, the IQ MOBILE device family may bring sudden business growth for the company. "If we manage to introduce the device proficiently to the global market, we shall need to employ more people in product development, sales and assembly", says the CEO of the company, Risto Koponen.
