New Efforts to Ensure Hand Hygiene
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports on the renewed efforts at local hospitals to ensure hand hygiene of clinicians, as well as patients who come into healthcare facilities.
The Washington Hospital Association (WHA) initially commenced a formal effort to reduce the incidence of infections in 2005. Included in such, the organization officially launched a formal effort directed at handwashing compliance in 2006. This effort included not just clinicians, but patients as well. Current programs, one at the University of Washington, directs patients to query physicians: “have you washed your paws”?
Included in that effort was measurement of sanitizer and soap utilization at healthcare facilities based compared to the number of inpatients. This information is then relayed to each facility. The voluntary program included almost half the hospitals in the State. The noted improvements in hand hygiene, but notable room for improvement.
The effort targeting handwashing was rejuvenated with the growing incidence of MRSA. At the Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center, alcohol-based sanitizers have gained favor. The hospital noted success through improved rates of compliance, using this washing approach in combination with “spies” to monitor the rates of hand hygiene compliance by healthcare providers. Use of sanitizers has been utilized because of factors cited for noncompliance with hand washing noted over the years; such as a lack of access, inconveniently placed soap and towels, or insufficient time to wash hands.
Data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that hand sanitizers were an effective remedy to the issue. As well, sanitizers clean hands more effectively. Hand hygiene is an component of public health efforts to improve patient safety and decrease infections.
December 14, 2007 Related topics: Hygiene & Cleanliness