Moss filter cleans and saves water, reduces energy and chlorine at Regions Hospital therapy pool
ST. PAUL, Minn. – July 25, 2012 – Regions is one of the only hospitals in Minnesota to use sphagnum moss to keep the water clean in its therapy pool. The moss treatment system reduces the amount of chlorine and other chemicals needed to kill bacteria by 30-50 percent. In addition it will reduce the number of times the water needs cleaning by 50 percent, saving water and staff time.
Regions is using a treatment system developed by Minnesota based Creative Water Solutions. The U.S. Patent Office issued a U.S. patent for the all-natural moss system in 2009 to inventors David Knighton, MD, an expert in wound healing and Vance Fiegel, a microbiologist. Dr. Knighton, became interested in the anti-microbial properties of moss after reading about how World War I soldiers whose wounds were packed in moss had a higher survival rate than those who had their wounds wrapped with cotton. The moss system is also being used in Saint Paul city pools.
“Sphagnum moss is the same natural filtration system that keeps the lakes in northern Minnesota so clean,” said Donna Jensen, director of Regions Hospital Rehabilitation Institute. “It is safer and more gentle for patients, reduces expenses for water and energy and is a sustainable product,” she added.
Regions therapy pool program offers physical therapy, aquatics and fitness programs to the community that increase strength, mobility, balance and conditioning. The pool is kept at 93 degrees, which provides warmth, buoyancy and gentle support for pain relief and exercise. The pool is also used for recreation and stress reduction by mental health patients.
The moss treatment system is part of HealthPartners Health Goals 2014. The health goals include a commitment to green business practices such as a prescription drug take-back program at five HealthPartners Clinics and recycling programs aimed at reducing waste and paper use by 10 percent.
About Regions Hospital
Regions Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center for adults and for children serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin for more than 130 years. A private, nonprofit, teaching hospital, Regions (www.regionshospital.com) provides outstanding care in women’s health, heart, cancer, surgery, orthopaedics, neuroscience, burn, emergency care, mental illnesses and more. Regions is part of the HealthPartners (www.healthpartners.com) family of health care companies that serves 1.4 million medical and dental health plan members nationwide. Follow Regions Hospital at twitter.com/RegionsHospital and www.facebook.com/home.php?#/regionshospital.