UVSHELTRON PRODUCTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

UVSHELTRON PRODUCTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

John Palmer
Chief Executive Officer, UVSheltron
Rear Admiral (Ret), U.S. Navy 

Public Act 9 for Fiscal Year 22 (HB-5523)
Signed into law February 16, 2022
~

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Guidance

Issued March 14, 2022

On February 16th, Governor Whitmer signed into law Public Act 9 for FY 22 (House Bill 5523).  Among other provisions, the law allocates $10 million to the top 10 hospitals/health systems in the number of COVID patients treated in the state in calendar year 2021.  The funding is to procure devices that utilize ultraviolet light to purify air and disinfect surfaces.  By April 1, 2022, qualifying hospitals will be required to submit a letter of intent for the funding outlining the products they intend to employ.  UVSheltron, based locally, manufactures and sells the ultraviolet light devices mentioned in HB 5523.  Initial sections of the bill specifically provide funding or grants for products to help hospitals and assisted living facilities (nursing homes) provide cleaner facilities for patients, residents, and staff. 

 

Specifically:

HOSPITALS & HEALTH CARE NETWORK - SECTION 313:  Public Law 9 (HB 5523) outlines the grant stating: “hospital airborne pathogen control program, $10,000,000.00 shall be allocated to hospitals for in-room ceiling installations and internet of things-connected Michigan-based ultraviolet control technology filtration and cleaning systems or other devices that reduce surface pathogens and airborne contaminants for control of harmful pathogens in the air and on settled surfaces.

 

The program shall be designed to meet all of the following parameters:

(a) The program shall be a pilot program.

(b) Hospitals and health systems that were in the top 10 hospitals/health systems in the number of COVID patients treated in the state in calendar year 2021 and that have submitted letters of intent to utilize this technology to the Michigan department of health and human services by April 1, 2022, shall be given priority for allocations.

(c) Allocation of these funds should be made through 2 equal grants to qualified applicants.

(d) Hospitals participating in the pilot program shall track the outcome metrics as defined during grant submission.”

 

Top 10 hospitals/health systems in the number of COVID patients treated in the state in calendar year 2021:  UVSheltron projects the following healthcare networks are most likely to be in the population of the 10 hospitals in the number of COVID patients treated. 

 

Beaumont Health https://www.beaumont.org/home

Henry Ford Health System https://www.henryford.com

Spectrum Health https://www.spectrumhealth.org

Sparrow Health System  http://www.sparrow.org

Detroit Medical Center https://www.dmc.org/home

Trinity Health https://www.trinity-health.org

Ascension Healthcare https://healthcare.ascension.org

McLaren Health Care Corporation  https://www.mclaren.org

Saint Joseph Mercy Health System https://www.stjoeshealth.org

Michigan Medicine https://med.umich.edu

 

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Guidance: Michigan DHHS issued guidance on the $10 million grant process for Healthcare Networks and Hospitals.  The memorandum dated March 14, 2022, under the subject line Airborne Pathogen Control Program states:

“The Department recognizes the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic on our Medicaid providers and is fully committed to working closely with you during this time. The purpose of this communication is to share information regarding the airborne pathogen control program for hospitals under Section 313 of Public Act 9 for fiscal year 2022.  

The Public Act allocates $10,000,000 to hospitals and health systems that were in the top 10 in treating COVID-19 patients in calendar year 2021 and that have submitted letters of intent to utilize ultraviolet control technology filtration and cleaning systems. Letters must be received by April 1, 2022, all submissions will be considered until the full $10,000,000 allotment has been allocated.

Hospitals chosen to participate in the pilot program shall track the outcome metrics as defined during grant submission. Additional metrics and reporting may be required by the MDHHS and will be communicated by the Department in a separate correspondence.

The Department will continue to communicate with providers on any additional steps that may need to be taken related to COVID-19 funding. Submissions and/or questions on this communication can be sent to MDHHS-MSA-COVID19@michigan.gov .”

 

PUBLIC ACT 9 (HB 5523) ALSO ADDRESSES NURSING HOMES - SECTION 318: 

Regarding Nursing Homes, Public Act 9 states:

(1) “the department of health and human services shall allocate $29,000,000.00 in grants to skilled nursing facilities. Grants shall fund structural and operational improvements to skilled nursing facilities that would help reduce the spread of infectious disease. Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a) Efforts to improve indoor air quality, including maintenance and improvements to indoor heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems…….

(d) The purchase and installation of technologies to reduce the spread of infectious disease.

(2) Individual nursing facilities are limited to no more than $500,000.00 in funds…..

(3) The following is in compliance with section 451a of the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1451a:

(a) The purpose of the project is to support improvements to skilled nursing facilities to reduce the spread of infectious disease.

(b) The project will be accomplished by utilizing state employees or contracts.

(c) The total estimated cost of the project is $29,000,000.00.

(d) The tentative completion date is September 30, 2026.”

 

Note: No MDHHS guidance has been issued regarding Section 318, and the specific nursing homes that will be eligible for the funding are not yet known.

 

UVSheltron’s contributions to Public Act 9:  UVSheltron’s CEO appeared before 10 Michigan State Senators and Representatives in January of 2022, providing expertise on an array of solutions to the challenge of returning the workforce to the workplace.  UVSheltron’s products are uniquely designed and adapted to support the State of Michigan’s pathogen fighting efforts. Our teams will support Michigan businesses to include healthcare networks, hospitals, and nursing homes seeking safer workspaces for patients and staff. 

 

Specifically, UVSheltron devices include:

  • Pure Air 500 & Pure Air 200— “Protected by UVSheltron ~ Powered by Zentox:” For occupied spaces--aerosol disinfection, these devices are patented & proprietary UV air purifiers called “Pure Air.” Pure Air’s has been laboratory tested by the Public Health Agency of Canada and hospital tested at Wake Forest University.  They come in 2 portable models as well as installed ceiling devices that can disinfect rooms as large as 4,000 sq ft of airborne pathogens, perfect for common spaces such as waiting rooms, treatment rooms, cafeterias, and conference rooms.  These devices draw in the contaminated air and use UV-A and a proprietary titanium dioxide catalyst to kill pathogens through Photocatalytic Oxidation. In other words, airborne organic pathogens, micro-bacteria, and other airborne substances are oxidized on the catalytic source.  Clean air is then propelled into the space.  They can run 24/7 and all operations are internal to the devices to include the UV light and oxidation.  There are no harmful emissions such as Ozone or Hydrogen Peroxide. Pure Air purification systems are listed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for meeting EPA ozone emissions safety standards for air purifiers.
  • Best of breed:
    • Public Health Agency of Canada said: Pure Air “demonstrated a markedly higher rate of biological removal than any other units tested” and was “able to remove all organism types tested, including spores, mycobacterium, and viral species.”
    • Wake Forest University Medical School stated that Pure Air Devices showed a highly significant reduction in bacterial count at the head of patients’ beds by nearly 3 times the School of Medicine’s pre-experiment expectations.
  • Portable and ceiling-mounted: Pure Air devices are available as portable units or ceiling-installed devices. 
  • Test Reports: Test reports are available upon request.
  • Surface Disinfection:  UVSheltron has several types of surface disinfection devices to augment exiting cleaning crews for enhanced SARS-COV-2 preventative disinfection and COVID cleanup:
  • Illuminant Towers:  UVSheltron has 6-foot and a 3-foot towers called Illuminant-6 and Illuminant-3 respectively, and they can disinfect medium and large spaces up to 9,000 sq ft.  The towers fill the spaces with germicidal UVC light and disinfect floor to ceiling…. all vertical and horizontal surfaces that cleaning crews can and cannot reach.  Illuminant towers disinfect with 99.99% effectiveness in just a few minutes and without utilizing chemicals.
  • Object Disinfection: UVSheltron has several cabinets and handheld devices for object disinfection.
    • Elide, Chamber, and Ark Cabinets for object disinfection: We make three cabinets or UVC boxes—” Elide,” "Chamber,” and “Ark.”  They range from Elide that is minifridge-size for desktop devices – to – Chamber that is locker-size cabinets for lab coats and first responder gear – to – the Ark that is big enough for wheelchairs and carts. 
      • UVSheltron Ark--Custom designed and tailor made: The Ark is the size of a walk-in closet and is specifically designed for large healthcare facilities requiring wheelchair and pushcart disinfection.  In just two minutes, the Ark utilizes 18 UVC lamps for 360-degree disinfection killing 99.99% of viruses, bacteria, and mold.  Ark irradiates all wheelchair surfaces including seats, backrests, armrests, grips, spokes, and hardware…. front and back….top to bottom.
    • Irrupt Handhelds for targeted disinfection: We have handheld devices called Irrupt and it looks like a 2-foot shop-light….it permits targeted disinfection and is very popular with vehicle fleets, fitness centers, bars, restaurants, and industrial maintenance lines. 
  • How UVC works:  The devices work through Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI).  UVGI uses the short-wavelength UV-C light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids--disrupting the RNA/DNA and leaving them unable to perform vital cellular functions.  Our devices kill 99.99 percent of hundreds of pathogens (including viruses, bacteria and hard to kill mold & spores) without toxic chemicals.

 

CONTACT UVSHELTRON:  Contact UVSheltron by email at: info@uvsheltron.com, view products and purchase at www.uvsheltron.com, or phone 888-877-7946. 

 

Sources & Links:

 

  • UVSheltron:
Link: www.uvsheltron.com
News