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AMETHYST – REGION LEADER

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The Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in Krakow is a leading medical center in the region that has been specializing in the treatment of oncology patients for over a dozen years. Therapies are performed using a wide range of treatments using ionizing radiation. The dominant role of the center is evidenced by the statistics of procedures performed and the number of patients served at the facility.

Over the course of 18 months, from January 2021 to June 2022, the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center performed 5111 therapy and radiotherapeutic irradiation at that time almost 4 thousand  (3997) sick. In 2021 alone, the Center granted: 10437 radiotherapy consultations, several hundred advice in the field of oncological psychology, and meetings on proper nutrition during cancer treatment.

These numbers, in the context of two other centers in Krakow performing similar procedures, put the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in first place when it comes to the number of medical and medical-related procedures performed in the entire region.

– Statistics don't lie. Amethyst, as a well-coordinated, experienced team, fully committed to its duties, performs enormous and very hard work every day. Our priority is to constantly maintain high standards of oncological treatment. From the very beginning of its activity in Poland, the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center has been implementing a concept that assumes a harmonious combination of the competences of doctors, medical physicists and electroradiology technicians with the opportunities offered by cooperation with other medical operators in the region, including the largest partner - the Hospital. Rydygier in Krakow –  Mowi Przemysław Zachwieja, President of the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in Krakow.

The most frequently performed radiotherapy techniques at the Amethyst center include:

1) VMAT – (Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy), i.e. a multi-arc dynamic radiotherapy technique. It is carried out by specific rotation of the accelerator head with simultaneous modulation of the beam intensity during rotation. First of all, it allows for shortening the duration of irradiation compared to other available methods. Total (including VMAT H&N* and VMAT marker** fractions) in 2021, over 1250 treatments were performed. This means that up to 37% Among all the treatments performed at the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center, the treatment using this method is the one.

2) IMRT – (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy), i.e. conformal radiotherapy with modulation of beam intensity. It is used especially in the treatment of cancer tumors that are located in close proximity to critical organs (with limited tolerance to radiation). Made last year 255 treatments (including 4 IMRT H&N).

3) Brachytherapy – (BTH) is a radiotherapy method that uses radiation sources placed directly in the tumor or in its immediate vicinity. For this purpose, special applicators are used, placed in natural body cavities (vagina, bronchus, esophagus) or directly in the patient's tissues (breast, prostate). Brachytherapy, as an independent method or combined with teleradiotherapy, is used in cancers such as: skin, prostate, breast, female reproductive organs, lung, esophagus, head and neck. In fact in 2021 at the Amethyst Center was performed 434 brachytherapies most of which concerned prostate cancer (over 100) and reproductive organ cancer in women (over 200).

4) Stereotaxis – it is a form of conformal radiotherapy used to treat small tumors that, due to their location, cannot be removed surgically. Thanks to this technique, it is possible to administer, with surgical precision and effectiveness, a high dose of radiation in one (radiosurgery) or several fractions while maximizing the protection of healthy tissues. In total, in 2021, the Amethyst Center performed 93 of this type of treatments, and in the first half of 2022 there were 25 of them.

An important element differentiating the radiotherapy treatment methodology is the division into two basic groups. The first one is rradical radiotherapy, used with the intention of cure, which is usually carried out for 4 to 7 weeks. The second one is radiotherapy symptomatic (also called palliative, aimed at slowing down the course of the disease and/or alleviating its symptoms) is carried out in a more intensified manner over a period of one to several days.

During the above-mentioned 18-month period (January 2021 - June 2022), the following were performed at the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center: 581 single-fraction palliation procedures and 628 multi-fraction palliation.

It is worth emphasizing that about 100 people work at the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in Krakow. This is a team of highly qualified specialists who have undergone a series of specialized training courses in Poland and abroad. The Krakow facility is currently the only non-public center offering postgraduate training for doctors. In 2021, the Center specialized in 5 doctors and 1 medical physicist.

– Considering that our team has been working for many years in a very similar composition in terms of the number of people employed, and we are talking about doctors (13 people), medical physicists (10 people), radiotherapy technicians (19 people), the results of the number of procedures performed in 2021 should be considered at least very good. The first half of 2022 also shows that it will maintain a high position in terms of the number of procedures and medical consultations performed. - says Sylwia Kmak, head of the HR department and Patient Representative at the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in Krakow.

To illustrate the scale of operation of the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in a nationwide context, it is worth recalling that ; “In 2021, 92.507 patients were treated with radiation in Poland - including 80.550 using teletherapy (86%) and 11.957 brachytherapy (14%). (…) Overall, in 2021, 1.223 (1%) more patients were recorded in radiotherapy centers across the country than in 2020, and this increase concerned only patients undergoing teletherapy - 1.696 (2%), while in brachytherapy there was a decrease in the number of patients by 473 ( -4%). These data reflect the undoubted impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, which in the first half of 2021 significantly limited the activities of the health service in our country in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer diseases."***

It should also be noted that: "Poland still differs from many European countries in terms of equipment in radiotherapy and radiosurgery technologies, including: France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Great Britain or the Netherlands and Sweden. The rate of use of radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer is approximately 10% lower than in the above-mentioned countries. There are still gaps in access to treatment in the country, geographically, quantitatively and qualitatively. (…) Most full-profile radiotherapy centers work in two shifts, which makes better use of their resources than similar centers in the EU.”****

* VMAT H&N – head and neck cancers
**VMAT tag** – implantation of gold or electromagnetic tags (prostate cancer)
***"Report on the state of radiotherapy in Poland as of December 31.12.2021, XNUMX"
****"Radiotherapy in Poland in the light of systemic changes - analysis and recommendations"

ACCESS TO OPTIMAL TREATMENT IS OUR PRIORITY – INTERVIEW WITH DR. N. MED. MARCIN HETNAŁ

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Doctor, the last two years have been quite difficult for oncology. First the COVID-19 pandemic, now the influx of patients from Ukraine seeking help. How does our oncology deal with these challenges? (in a broad context)

It seems quite good considering the current situation. However, we must know that Polish oncology is in a state of constant shortage of staff and full-profile oncology centers. The two aspects you mentioned (first the COVID-19 pandemic, now the influx of patients seeking help from Ukraine - editor's note) have caused an even greater burden on the system, as well as a burden on the employees themselves. Over the last period, the inflow of patients has been increasing. In some periods of the pandemic, the decline in patients seeking diagnosis and treatment, limited access to family doctors and specialists, and finally the increased mortality rate due to COVID infection in oncology patients probably translated into worsening cancer treatment results in Poland - especially if we are talking about the pandemic period. Statistics from studies conducted in Great Britain indicate that the results of cancer treatment could worsen by 10-15% in the perspective of 5-year survival. The most common problems we encounter when serving Ukrainian patients are: incomplete or missing medical documentation, lack of document translations, or the choice of a treatment facility that is inadequate to their health needs. Sometimes patients come to us who require completely different methods of treatment or management, in such cases we refer patients to other hospital departments or centers.

And looking through the prism of your center - how are you coping in these difficult times? Can all patients feel properly cared for and have access to optimal treatment?

What you are asking about is always our priority, regardless of whether it is a time of peace or the situation we are currently dealing with. We are doing quite well, although, as I mentioned earlier, staff shortages are slowly becoming visible and felt. In fact, from the very beginning, and more precisely from the moment the National Health Fund announced its readiness to provide full medical care to refugees from Ukraine, we have been accepting these patients at the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center and they can start or continue oncological treatment with us. These are people at very different stages of advancement and at different stages of treatment. During the visit, we also offer the support of a translator, which enables appropriate mutual communication between the doctor and the patient. What is important and important to emphasize is that all patients have one queue. A patient from Poland and a patient from Ukraine are qualified for treatment under the same conditions and principles.

Amethyst Radiotherapy Center thanks to cooperation with the Multispecialty Hospital. L. Rydygiera in Krakow offers patients - in one place - the so-called combined treatment. What does it involve and what is the value of such behavior?

We have 3 main methods of treating cancer: surgical treatment, systemic treatment, radiotherapy. Combining these different cancer treatments is called combination treatment. In many cases, combined treatment significantly improves the results, but because it is sometimes more toxic, it also requires supportive treatment. This type of treatment of cancer patients is currently, and has been for 20-30 years, a global standard. This approach, by proposing and implementing optimal treatment measures, gives measurable, positive effects. And most importantly, the patient does not have to take care of the components of the procedure himself, because it is prepared at the very beginning by the consultant. And then consistently implemented. Of course, modifications and changes may occur during treatment.

Rydygier and Amethyst not only share a common address in Krakow. Most often, they also have a common patient who is diagnosed with "cancer" and undergoes comprehensive therapy. As indicated by the statistics of the Małopolska Branch of the National Health Fund, it is the Specialist Hospital. Ludwik Rydygiera in Kraków took first place compared to all other healthcare providers from Małopolska who provided oncological treatment as part of hospital and outpatient admissions throughout the entire pandemic year of 2020. These statistics are hardly surprising; Rydygier with 8 departments that provide oncology packages, chemotherapy and 39 drug programs dedicated to specific cancers; with 15 Specialist Clinics, available to patients as part of the so-called Fast Path Oncology, as well as with its own extensive endoscopic and imaging diagnostics, nuclear medicine tests and 6 preventive programs (including prevention of breast cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer), is becoming a new oncology center in Krakow and Małopolska.

Your specialization is primarily radiotherapy. How do you see the current place and role of radiotherapy in cancer treatment?

Radiotherapy is one of five oncological specialties (oncological surgery, clinical oncology, hematology, gynecological oncology and radiotherapy). Radiotherapy is used in approximately 60-70 percent of cases. oncology patients. And it generates relatively low costs compared to other specialties. The costs of radiotherapy constitute only 6% of the costs of cancer treatment. if we refer to the entire systemic care of an oncological patient.

At what stages of cancer and in which diseases is radiation used? What is the purpose of such treatment?

Radiotherapy is a local treatment, just like surgery. Surgery uses a knife and a scalpel, we use electromagnetic radiation - high-energy photons. The goal is exactly the same in both cases, which is to prevent the cancer from developing further; we want to cause the necrosis of cancer cells, sparing healthy tissue. Radiotherapy is used in the vast majority of oncological diseases. It is a treatment that is becoming more and more precise and, in some cases, very effective in its effectiveness.

Is there still a chance for further progress and improvement of irradiation techniques in radiation treatment, and thus for an increase in the effectiveness of treatment? What is the future of radiotherapy in your opinion? Even more precision?

I would draw attention to two basic points. Increasing precision of treatment, including reducing the number of complications after procedures and combining radiotherapy with systemic treatment, especially immunotherapy. In my opinion and perspective, immunotherapy has a great future in oncological treatment. This is a form of systemic treatment in which the treatment stimulates the body's own immune system to fight cancer. The results here are very promising, even spectacular. The undoubted advantage of cancer immunotherapy is the favorable ratio of therapeutic benefits to toxicity. Immunological treatment stimulates our immune system cells to fight cancer cells. Of course, it is not the case that immunotherapy solves all oncological problems once and for all. Like radiotherapy or any other treatment method, it is never a zero-sum situation, meaning that either you have 100 percent. cures or not at all. But there is visible very significant progress in this field. A few years ago it was announced that oncological immunotherapy would dominate the treatment of cancer diseases and in the future it may be used to treat even every second cancer. This is a breakthrough. By adding radiotherapy to immunotherapy - both methods stimulate each other, which is a phenomenal phenomenon from the point of view of medicine. Let us remember that in the past 25% of people experienced cancer. there are now forty-something people in Poland, which is still one of the worst results in Europe. But I would like to emphasize that this is still not a treatment that is applicable to most cancer patients, although the list of indications is gradually expanding.

Are any new products in this area also available in your center? What equipment do you have at your disposal in Krakow and is the treatment reimbursed by the National Health Fund?

Amethyst is equipped with accelerators from Elekta, one of the two global leaders in the production of such specialized medical equipment. The center performs highly specialized radiotherapy procedures, including: stereotactic radiotherapy, IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy), dynamic techniques such as VMAT, which significantly increases the effectiveness of the therapy, shortens its time and reduces side effects. Accelerators precisely modulate the radiation beam, which allows it to be maximally focused in the area of ​​​​the lesion and protect healthy tissues. Medical services provided in Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in Krakow are reimbursed by the National Health Fund.

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PRIVATE HOSPITALS CONSOLIDATES ITS ACTIVITIES

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The National Association of Private Hospitals, bringing together over 150 private medical entities from all over the country, has launched an information campaign on mutual support, assistance and partnership development on the difficult and demanding healthcare market in Poland. The Association has been operating in Poland since 2002. From the first years of its activity, the members of the association have set themselves the goal of jointly supporting changes in the organization of health care in Poland, aimed at improving the patient care system, increasing the quality of services provided and equal rights of the public and private sectors. The aim of OSSP is also to initiate and support all activities aimed at the development of the private hospital sector in Poland. Over 20 years of activity, the National Association of Private Hospitals has become an opinion-forming body in the field of legal acts prepared, among others: by the Sejm and the Ministry of Health, although in the first years of its activity it issued opinions on projects only on its own initiative.

Amethyst Radiotherapy Poland Sp. z o. o. is an active member of OSSP. Already during the first days of the war in Ukraine, Amethyst provided tangible material assistance, supporting aid activities organized by OSSP for this country.

More information about the Association: https://ossp.pl/

ECOLOGICAL ONCOLOGISTS CRUISE

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The Polish Society of Brachytherapy has created the #BrachyCares project, unique in oncology, which aims to holistically educate oncology patients and their families in order to raise awareness of the impact of the quality of our environment on the increase in the number of cancer cases.

The first element of the project was ecological cruise team of radiation oncologists dealing with cancer treatment on a daily basis, to the conference of the European Society of Radiotherapy (ESTRO) held in Copenhagen. The cruise was attended by the medical director of the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center, Marcin Hetnał, MD, PhD, who comments on this initiative:

– My observations and conversations with oncology patients show that many of them are not aware of the relationship between cancer and environmental factors and their lifestyle. Together with our colleagues and friends from the Polish Brachytherapy Society, we wondered if and how we could change this. We wanted to show that you can act differently, ecologically and healthily. That's why we chose a joint cruise to the annual conference of the European Society of Radiotherapy. We hope that in this way we have given an inspiring signal and example to our patients. Because only true passion, physical activity and changing habits (we could fly there by plane or choose to travel by car) can significantly help in the fight against the plague of the XNUMXst century, which is undoubtedly the incidence of cancer and malignant tumors in too many people in highly developed countries.

The team sailed from Kołobrzeg on May 3, reaching Copenhagen two days later. As explained by the originator of the action, the President of the Polish Brachytherapy Society, Piotr Wojcieszek, MD, PhD, who has a yacht helmsman certificate; The staff consists exclusively of radiation oncologists.

PTB is already planning further activities. Currently, he is gathering a group of scientists, not only oncologists, but e.g. oceanographers and climatologists, with whom he wants to create a guide from which we will be able to learn how various pollutants affect the natural environment, the development of cancer diseases and what each of us can do to prevent them. avoid. The Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in Krakow will actively support this initiative.

Brachytherapy is a method of contact or interstitial radiotherapy using ionizing radiation from radioactive isotopes. They are temporarily placed in the immediate vicinity of the tumor. Knowing how important local action is, radiotherapists want to translate this way of thinking into the field of ecological and oncological education. The #BrachyCares project is therefore an expression of concern for the climate, the world and broadly understood health.

PATIENTS FROM UKRAINE ARE TREATED AT THE AMETHYST RADIOTHERAPY CENTER IN KRAKOW

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These are people at very different stages of cancer and at different stages of treatment. Due to the situation they find themselves in, only some of them have full medical documentation, which allows them to immediately determine the needs and refer the patient to the appropriate clinic. During the visit, we also offer the support of a translator, which enables appropriate mutual communication between the doctor and the patient.

– We realize that the situation is extraordinary because, in addition to the disease, the patient is additionally burdened with emotions related to the war tragedy. Even before the armed conflict began, Amethyst provided commercial services to foreign patients, including patients from Ukraine. Thanks to this, we have appropriate knowledge and experience in their use. Of course, currently, in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, we are obliged to provide medical services financed by the National Health Fund. Additionally, we have the help of a translator, we have launched a hotline and we have prepared the required documents in Ukrainian. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire team who showed great empathy and found their way in this difficult situation for everyone.  – says Przemysław Zachwieja, President of the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in Krakow.

An important role in the entire process is played by the Patient Service Point, whose task is to verify and select patients who come to the center. This is an extremely demanding task, because already at this stage we have to determine whether the patient who comes to Amethyst can be treated here.

Olga Pojan, who has been cooperating with the Center for many years, is coordinating activities related to servicing Ukrainian patients at the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in Krakow in Ukrainian. To improve work, we launched a dedicated hotline in the first days of March +48 12 33 57 400 in Ukrainian. The hotline is open every day from Monday to Friday from: 10.00-14.00. A special e-mail address has also been launched: ua@amethyst-rtcp.pl. Thanks to the work of the entire reception team and the initial selection of patients, we can focus on providing assistance to those who qualify for it. There are cases in which people who come to the Center asking for help cannot undergo treatment here. Then they are redirected to the Hospital cooperating with Amethyst. Rydygier or other centers.

– Every day we receive several calls from Ukrainian patients who want to continue their treatment with us. Due to the very specific and specialized profile of the therapeutic activities conducted at the Radiotherapy Center, these people are not completely random. They usually already have a preliminary action plan and are consulted with our medical coordinator. Sometimes we come across completely new people, so we try to provide them with information about the possibilities of further treatment or we redirect them to other facilities, including the Oncology Department of the hospital cooperating with us. Rydygiera. – says Viktoriia Kovalska from the Patient Service Point of the Amethyst Radiotherapy Clinic in Krakow.

The most common problems we encounter when serving Ukrainian patients are:

  • Incomplete or missing medical documentation
  • No translations of medical documentation
  • The choice of a treatment facility that does not adequately meet the health needs - Amethyst's activities are highly specialized (radiotherapy oncology) and sometimes patients come to us who require completely different treatment methods.

Every patient treated at the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center has the same right to receive medical services. However, each case is always considered individually, and doctors working at the Center perform from a dozen to several dozen consultations and procedures every day. There is one queue for everyone, and the date and time of admitting a patient is always decided by doctors.

– There is no other path to access radiotherapy treatment other than the one resulting from the current health condition of the person coming to us. Polish Patient and Ukrainian Patient are classified for treatment under the same conditions and principles. This is decided each time by doctors during a consultation, after detailed review of the medical documentation and medical history of a given patient. – points out Marta Urbańska-Gąsiorowska, a radiotherapist from the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center.

Since the beginning of March, several dozen Ukrainian patients have applied for treatment at the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center. Some of them have already had their first treatments, some are completing their medical documentation or are undergoing consultations with doctors working at the Center.

STUDY OF THE ONCOLOGICAL CARE SYSTEM

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The Amethyst Radiotherapy Center takes part in the nationwide "Patient Path" study. The project coordinated by the Oncology 2025 Foundation will verify the real waiting time for cancer diagnosis and treatment in Poland.

Ultimately, approximately 1000 oncology patients from all over the country will participate in the study. In a conversation with the interviewer, they will talk about the individual stages of the process of diagnosing their cancer - from its suspicion, through confirmation, to the beginning of treatment. This will be supplemented with information from your medical history. The survey is fully anonymous. They will be carried out by authorized employees of the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center.

The waiting time for diagnosis and initiation of treatment is one of the measures of the effectiveness of the oncological care system. It has been suspected for many years that it is long in Poland, which was confirmed by the two previous editions of the study. This system was analyzed for the first time in the second half of 2014, before the implementation of the oncology package. Data from the current surveys will allow us to determine what the situation of oncology patients in Poland is like after the changes that have taken place in the system in recent years.

As in previous editions of the study, the results will be presented to decision-makers and institutions that have a real impact on the shape of the oncological care system in Poland. Individual stories of individual patients will create a collective portrait of Polish oncology.

The Oncology 2025 Foundation, which is the initiator and organizer of the study, has been operating since 2014. Conducts analyzes and prepares reports on the situation of oncology patients in Poland and good practices that can help introduce changes and improvements. Amethyst Radiotherapy Center is one of the founders and founders of the Foundation.

RYDYGIERA HOSPITAL IS THE HIGHEST RANKING OF ONCOLOGY HOSPITALS IN MAŁOPOLSKA

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Specialist Hospital named after Ludwik Rydygiera in Kraków was rated the highest by cancer patients in the ranking of friendly oncology hospitals in Małopolska. The list was prepared by the Alivia Foundation based on opinions expressed on the Onkomapa website. Hospital Rydygiera received a rating of 4,5/5. In this center, patients emphasize the very high level of care provided by medical staff.

The Amethyst Radiotherapy Center is part of the comprehensive oncological care provided by the Specialist Hospital. Rydygiera in Krakow.

The next place in Małopolska is taken by the University Hospital in Krakow, with a rating of 4,1/5.

The highest rating in the country was awarded to the Independent Public Clinical Hospital. A. Mielęcki Medical University of Silesia in Katowice. 4,7 patients rated this center 5/198. Patients in this center highly evaluate the treatment method and the care of the medical staff. The next place was taken by the Zamość Private Hospital (4,6/5). Krakow's Rydygier hospital is third in this nationwide ranking.

The Alivia Foundation runs the publicly available Onkomapa portal, where patients and their loved ones can express their opinions about 108 hospitals and almost 3,5 thousand. doctors working there. The evaluation covers facilities that, under a contract with the National Health Fund, perform at least two of three procedures: chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and oncological surgery. The rating is measured on a scale from 1 to 5 and covers the organization and method of treatment, care of medical staff, respect for patients' rights and their comfort. Over the last 12 months, the portal was visited by over 175. users who left almost 2,5 thousand opinions. For the purposes of the ranking of oncology-friendly hospitals, facilities that received more than 150 opinions were taken into account.

The entire ranking https://alivia.org.pl/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/ONKOMAPA_.pdf

FIGHT AGAINST CANCER – SUPPLEMENT TO THE RZECZPOSPOLITA JOURNAL

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We encourage you to read the thematic supplement "Fighting Cancer" distributed in November with the Rzeczpospolita daily. The materials can also be read online.

The topic of the publication is education and prevention of cancer. The texts include, among others: a recording of an expert panel devoted to whether we can talk about a breakthrough in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer, as well as an interview with actress Olga Borys, ambassador of the "Beautiful because healthy" campaign. One of the topics discussed is the importance of the patient's comfort and mental state as a factor supporting the success of oncological therapy. This is what Dr. Marcin Wolski, MD, head of the clinical oncology department of the Multispecialty Hospital in Zgorzelec, where the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center is located, talks about.

We encourage you to read the this article and other texts on the website www.byczdrowych.info (Oncology tab).

DIET IN CANCER DISEASES – WORKSHOPS

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We invite you to June culinary workshops for patients and their caregivers conducted at the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in cooperation with Nutricia Onkology.

Nutrition during cancer plays an extremely important role, and cancer patients are particularly exposed to nutritional deficiencies and life-threatening malnutrition. Dietitian Ewa Ceborska-Scheiterbauer will talk about how to monitor the patient's nutritional status, adjust dietary recommendations to his nutritional requirements, create an optimal menu and use nutritious products.

After the lecture, participants will be able to take part in a cooking show presenting recipes tailored specifically to the nutritional requirements of oncology patients. The workshops are free.

The meeting will start on Friday, June 9 at 11.00.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE FIGHT FOR PATIENT SAFETY

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The UVD robot performs very important work at the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in Krakow. Not only does it fight as many as 10 bacteria, fungi and viruses - including the SARS-CoV-99,99 coronavirus - in about 2 minutes, in rooms such as doctor's offices and therapeutic rooms, but it also does it almost completely independently.

The UVD robot disinfects the designated closed area fully automatically. The device first maps all rooms and corridors, and after configuration, it starts disinfection. For the safety of employees and patients, disinfection of the Center's premises takes place at night.

– The robot was brought to the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center as a result of a tender conducted by the European Commission. The machine performs work whose basic element is the disinfection of all rooms in the Center, which significantly reduces the risk of contracting COVID. – says Przemysław Zachwieja, President of the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center in Krakow.

The autonomous drive system allows cleaners to easily call the robot using a tablet. The robot will move to the required position while staff perform initial cleaning. Once it is completed, the robot is sent into the room and activated, and the person responsible for cleanliness can take care of their planned tasks during disinfection. After disinfection, the robot signals the completion of the task and is ready to disinfect the next room. Such symbiosis allows for effective work, saving time and resources.

The UVD robot prevents and limits the spread of infectious microorganisms in the environment by destroying their DNA and RNA structure with UV-C light. It is an innovative device that uses high-power UV-C radiation sources to remove harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses (including COVID) causing infections.

– Thanks to the operation of this robot, we can effectively redefine the tasks of our cleaning staff, who, while performing activities performed by this almost fully independent device, can perform other work necessary to maintain the cleanliness and sanitary safety of the Center.  – says Tomasz Szafraniec, Technical Manager at the Amethyst Radiotherapy Center.