Northwell Ventures Presents: Making ‘big waves’ in our ORs with PurpleSun

This post is part of a series focusing on the Truly Innovative concepts and technologies brought to life by Northwell Ventures. We invest in companies that will generate strategic returns- creating products that meet healthcare needs now and in the future. We also put our financial returns back into the overall organization where they’re used to fix leaky roofs, buy supplies, and whatever else Northwell Health might need. Northwell Ventures showcases our investment in unique and noteworthy innovations that will impact our work and the health of all.

We’re always looking to turn the tide in health care. That’s why Northwell Ventures invests in what we refer to as “big waves” or investments that will not only improve the quality of care but change how care is delivered across the industry.

Before deciding to invest in a venture, we consider if a product can meet the three big questions that classify a “big wave”:

1. Does it help provide a higher quality of care?
2. Does it decrease the cost of care?
3. Does it increase the patient experience?

Our venture, PurpleSun, does all three. By delivering UV technology in a new and innovative way, PurpleSun is an investment by Northwell Ventures that will revolutionize healthcare and reduce HAIs.

Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) are a big problem for health care and most health systems don’t have the tools to tackle the problem. When it comes to hand washing, techniques, and other tools that would decrease HAIs, the industry has hit a wall. That’s where PurpleSun comes in. Designed to stop “superbugs”, it uses ultraviolet rays to disinfect operating rooms and kills bugs, viruses, bacteria, and fungi in a short period of time.

While ultraviolet ray technology is not new, PurpleSun’s delivery method is unique. Using modular panels to enclose equipment such as a stretcher, PurpleSun works in 90-second intervals and can wipe out nearly all germs on an operating surface. The device works alongside our valued environmental services employees by disinfecting equipment or sections of a room while still allowing the crew to work. By providing the opportunity to clean in a parallel system, PurpleSun provides a much faster turnaround time for environmental services employees. This technology is also built for efficiency and repeatability, providing better kill rates at a faster speed and reducing the variability in manual cleaning processes.

Once the Northwell Ventures team decided to invest in PurpleSun, a cross-functional team was brought in made up of subject matter experts from physicians to nurses to environmental service workers to improve upon the prototype. Northwell Ventures effectively built a second version prototype from “inside of Northwell out” by combining customer market research with the insight from Northwell’s internal team to produce the best product.

Want a hands-on role in innovating the health care industry? PurpleSun is just one of the exciting projects at Northwell Ventures. Through Ventures, we enable companies to rapidly test and improve products and services within real clinical settings and we provide quick feedback on efficacy level and organizational improvements. With an internal clinical and administrative advisory board, our team provides additional company feedback prior to the completion of a device and/or service offerings. Every day, we’re building the future of healthcare.

Stay tuned for future content about the Northwell Ventures team’s work to improve patient care and employee satisfaction at Northwell Health.