Selling UV Disinfection Systems BY Kassandra Kania Sponsors Next Gen Floor Finish New Durable iXT Technology. Third party certified. Clorox® Total 360® System Kill cold & flu viruses in 2 minutes with proven electrostatic technology Advertisement Advertisement Staying Power: The Important Work of Retention in a Medical Practice in Olean, NY, 14760 – ACS Facilities Services. Go To http://www.acsfacilities.com/ for free articles. When pitching UV technology to customers, manufacturers encourage distributors to substantiate product claims and seek out facilities that have successfully implemented UV disinfection procedures. Distributors should avoid biased studies conducted by the UV company’s staff or business associates. “I’d encourage anyone considering implementing UV to review the results of third-party laboratory testing for kill claims against key healthcare pathogens and scientific studies on facility usage,” says Velez. Additionally, sales reps should determine what level of support the manufacturer offers post-sale. “Purchasing a UV device is a significant capital investment,” says Velez, “so it’s worth considering the level of training and support offered by the manufacturer to find a real partner that is committed to providing in-person training and in-servicing to educate end users.” Campbell recommends posing the following questions to manufacturers to gauge their level of commitment: Do you offer an implementation program? Do you offer metrics that help the client validate the technology and see results over the course of six months to a year? Do you teach clients how to measure those results? Distributors will also need to help customers figure out the total cost of use and ownership. “There’s the price of the device, but you also have to factor in how long the device has to operate in the room, because that will impact how many rooms you’re able to disinfect per day,” says Cooke. “You need to look at maintenance and operational costs as well. How long do the bulbs last? How much are replacement bulbs? Those types of questions are really important to help customers understand the total cost of ownership.” Last but not least, distributors need to focus on how UV technology can save healthcare facilities money — and more importantly lives. Hospitals can be penalized for high infection rates and readmissions, which could result in the loss of Medicare and Medicaid funding. In fact, studies have shown that an incidence of C. diff could cost hospitals as much as $8,000 to $11,000. “The reason healthcare facilities have already adopted or are interested in purchasing UV devices is that HAIs and outbreaks can cost facilities much more,” says Velez. “By decreasing the financial burden associated with HAIs, implementing UV technology can actually help facilities save money.” Proof once again that prevention is better — and cheaper — than cure. Kassandra Kania is a freelance writer based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a frequent contributor to Sanitary Maintenance.