From Strategy to Practice: The First Steps

The first steps were taken after intensive discussions between the Facility Management Department, Infection Prevention, OR Management, and our operational leads and healthcare experts. Together with Per Slycke and Mark van de Vrede from Loop Robots, it was decided to train all OR cleaning staff at Tergooi to work with SAM before the summer holidays.

This joint preparation laid the foundation for a solid, widely supported approach, where technology and practice went hand in hand. From the outset, it was clear that successful integration required more than simply deploying a robot: involvement, training, and trust in the technology were just as important.

Summer Implementation: Learning and Experience

In the summer of 2024, implementation took place in the operating rooms of Tergooi MC. Cleaning and OR staff had the opportunity to see SAM in action, work with it, and get used to their new colleague. Through a clear and user-friendly dashboard, SAM’s work was tracked in real time: which rooms were disinfected, how long it took, and what the outcome was.

Feedback from practice was positive. Staff valued SAM’s reliability and ease of use. The robot proved capable of carrying out UV-C disinfection consistently, accurately, and autonomously—independent of time and without adding workload for the staff.

Full Integration into OR Processes

Based on the positive test results and growing trust within the team, it was decided to fully integrate SAM into Tergooi MC’s OR processes starting September 2024. Since then, all operating rooms have been disinfected daily by SAM, in close collaboration with CSU staff. The robot has become a structural part of the cleaning and infection prevention routine in the OR.

Thanks to the digital logbook and automated reporting, there is now full transparency regarding completed disinfection tasks. For each OR, it is clear when and for how long SAM was active, and what coverage was achieved. This objective data aligns seamlessly with Tergooi’s high quality standards.

Smarter Cleaning Together

The collaboration with CSU demonstrates how technology and people-focused cleaning work can strengthen each other. By deploying robots like SAM, staff gain more time to focus on the more complex, human aspects of their work—while technology delivers reliability, insight, and scalability.

Loop Robots and CSU look forward to the next phase of this partnership, where innovation, impact, and collaboration will remain central. Soon we’ll share recordings from the Innovation Boost on our channels, where we dive deeper into the use of SAM at Tergooi MC—with practical insights, experiences from staff, and a glimpse into the future of smart disinfection in healthcare.

So keep an eye on our website and LinkedIn page!