Healthcare environments are breeding grounds for diverse microorganisms, many of which pose significant risks to patients, staff, and visitors. Pathogens such as influenza, COVID-19, MRSA, and C. difficile can spread through contaminated air and surfaces, exacerbating the likelihood of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), particularly in multibed rooms where close proximity and shared facilities increase exposure. Traditional interventions like ventilation and cleaning may not fully mitigate these risks, and while ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) offers disinfection, it is unsuitable for occupied spaces. To address this gap, hospitals are exploring far-UVC light technology, a promising solution that is safe for use in occupied areas and provides real-time disinfection of air and surfaces, enhancing infection control and creating a safer healthcare environment.
Fraser Health is posting this Call for Innovation to seek out qualified Canadian companies who can meet the following desired outcomes. Fraser Health and CAN Health reserves the right to not move forward with this project at its full discretion and in particular if there are no qualified Canadian companies that can reasonably meet the desired outcomes.
To qualify for a CAN Health project, the company must meet ALL of the following criteria:
- Headquartered in Canada (additional criteria apply for companies not headquartered in Canada)
- Majority ownership of both the company and the solution by Canadians
- Solution at Technology Readiness Level (TRL)>7, indicating actual technology completed and qualified through tests and demonstrations
- All the data and AI models (if applicable) must be hosted in Canada and comply with all the Canadian privacy regulations
- Possess all regulatory approvals required for commercialization, such as Health Canada approval
- Completion of all required clinical validity/unity studies
- No need for policy changes to be widely adopted
- Strong use cases in the Canadian health care system
If the company is not headquartered in Canada or the solution is not majority owned by Canadians, additional criteria apply:
- Independent autonomy over business operations and product development (for subsidiaries, affiliates or distributors)
- High Canadian job creation potential, especially in executive and senior management positions
- Commitment of over 70% of contract value to Canada
During the company selection process, preference is given to companies/solutions fully owned by Canadians, followed by those majority owned by Canadians, and finally international companies with a significant presence and economic impact in Canada.
For more information on the Call for Innovation process and the commercialization projects funded by CAN Health Network, please refer to the FAQ page on the CAN Health Network website: https://canhealthnetwork.ca/faq/
During the 2023/24 respiratory season, Fraser Health reported 50 acute care respiratory outbreaks, each lasting a median of 8 days and affecting an average of 9 patients. Additionally, there were 1,500 cases of respiratory infections—including COVID-19, influenza, and RSV—along with 551 MRSA and 292 C. difficile infections attributed to in-facility transmission. These healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) increase patient morbidity and mortality, extend hospital stays, and impose significant healthcare costs. Traditional mitigation strategies, such as ventilation and cleaning, have proven insufficient in fully preventing transmission. While ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is effective for disinfection, its use is limited in occupied spaces due to safety concerns. To address this challenge, hospitals are exploring far-UVC light technology, which offers real-time disinfection of air and surfaces and is safe for use in occupied areas, thereby enhancing infection control and creating a safer healthcare environment.
Objectives:
- To estimate the air and surface disinfection efficacy of far-UVC light in intervention rooms by collecting air and surface samples.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of far-UVC in reducing HAIs as well as outbreaks in all acute care and owned and operated LTC sites.
- To measure and compare between the intervention and control areas:
- The rate of healthcare-associated MRSA, difficile, and CPO cases
- The rate of healthcare associated respiratory infections including influenza, COVID-19, and RSV
- The number of respiratory outbreaks
- The number of C. difficile outbreaks
- The number of MRSA and CPO clusters
Essential (mandatory) outcomes:
- The use of the far-UVC disinfection devices will result in a statistically significant reduction in HAI rates, outbreaks, and respiratory infections.
- The use of the far-UVC light will disinfect the air and surfaces with wavelengths in the range of 200-235 nm.
- The UVC light can be active in occupied spaces posing negligible health risk to patients and staff.
- If estimated risk is higher than acceptable, the devices will require motion and/or heat sensors to prevent use while the area is occupied.
Additional outcomes:
The expected project timeline is 9 months.
During the 2023/24 respiratory season, Fraser Health experienced significant challenges with healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), reporting 50 acute care respiratory outbreaks (median duration 8 days, affecting 9 patients on average) and 1,500 cases of respiratory infections such as COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. Additionally, 551 cases of MRSA and 292 cases of C. difficile were attributed to in-facility transmission. These infections increase patient morbidity and mortality, prolong hospital stays, and impose significant healthcare costs. Current mitigation strategies, including ventilation and cleaning, are insufficient to fully prevent transmission. Far-UVC light, a novel disinfection technology effective against airborne and surface pathogens, offers a safe solution for occupied spaces by leveraging its limited penetration to inactivate pathogens without harming human cells. This technology can provide real-time, whole-room disinfection, complementing existing measures to reduce outbreaks, HAIs, and associated healthcare burdens. Far-UVC presents a promising intervention to enhance infection prevention and control, particularly in acute care settings.
