Hospital anxiety for many years in how to make sure doctors, nurses and staff keep their hands clean, but only limited success. Now, some are turning to technology - pagers, buzzers, lights and tracking system to alert workers to be sterilized, and draw those who do not.
Health experts say poor hand cleanliness is a factor that kills tens of thousands of Americans each year in hospital-borne infections. Atlanta, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that for every 20 patients in U.S. hospitals each year get hospital-acquired infections.
The CDC epidemiologist Dr. John Jernigan said: "We already know that 150 years of good hand hygiene to prevent the patient from infection." "However, it has been observed a high level, because we want them to be a very long and difficult issues."
Try different ways to promote better health hospital. Sign posted in the toilet. Some people even hire monitors to keep tabs and single out criminals.
However, experts believe that the hospital staff to wash, in the best case, about 50% of the time. St. Louis Regional Hospital believes that it is close to 100% adherence.
SSM St. Mary's Health Center in St. Louis suburb of Richmond Heights, Missouri, since last year, has been developed by the Biovigil system test site, Ann Arbor, Michigan, badge flashing lights become green hands are clean, red, if they do not. It also tracks each hand washing opportunities - successes and failures.
Mary has rarely failed system is being tested in two units, the hospital said. A unit of 97% of the success of hand hygiene, Morey Dr. Gardner said the hospital's director of infectious diseases and prevention. Others have a 99% success rate.
"Holy Grail prevention of infection is in our hands," Gardner said.
The Biovigil system in many hospitals are trying. The method, according to the Hill from Arrowsight development. Kisco, NY, use video surveillance. It is being used in the intensive care unit at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY, and the University of California San Francisco Medical Center.
Akron, Ohio-based GOJO Industries Purell hand sanitizer manufacturer, has developed an electronic surveillance system using wireless technology to track the use of soap and hand sanitizer dispenser. SmartLink provides the system with high and low compliance with regional hospital data. The company said it has installed the system in hospitals across the country, but did not say how much.
Company HyGreen hand hygiene reminder system is composed of two Florida college doctor. Gainesville, Florida, the company now owns two systems use the seven hospitals, including in Wilmington, Delaware, Chicago, Veterans Administration Hospital, Wilkes - Barre, PA state
One is to Biovigil similar to the way a green badge. HyGreen, a wall-mounted sensor detects the alcohol wash hands. Badges including active reminder system. Unclean hands to create a warning buzz. If the buzzing sounds three times, the workers pointed out violations.
HyGreen spokesperson Elena Fraser said, because some hospitals are moving away from alcohol disinfectant, HyGreen system provides a second. Clear hint of disinfectant dispenser workers and patients interact. If a worker in bed without manual cleaning, the series warning buzz begins.
Fraser said that in the Miami Children's Hospital badge system has been implemented units, nosocomial infection has declined by 66%.
Nurses use Biovigil system in St. Louis near St. Mary's wearing badges with changeable colored lights. When the nurse enters the patient's room, and the color changes to yellow badge door sensor identification.
Nurse to wash his or her hands and place them close to the badge. The emblem of the chemical gas sensor detects alcohol-based solutions. If the hand is clean, bright green badge light hand symbol.
If nurses do not disinfect, badges remain yellow and chirp every 10 seconds, 40 seconds, then blinks red. Once the flashing red nurse began, another 30 seconds to wash, or emblem becomes steady red, which means that non-compliance. Either way, each instance by a computer tracking. Hospitals can track each person's compliance.
Registered Nurse Theresa Grattan St Mary has helped lead the effort to clean hands. She had heard early in 2012 Biovigil system, and persuaded the hospital, give it a try.
Grattan said the patient knows that the risk of infection, and to wash their hands frequently inquire whether caregivers. She said, badges, reduce their anxiety.
Bill Rogers, a 65-year-old retired St. Mary's recuperating from back surgery and heart panic, agrees.
"The first thing I noticed, here's badge," Rogers said. "It was comforting me, to know that their hands are clean as soon as a badge beeps, and from yellow to green."
St. Mary's Biovigil system later this year to expand to other units outside of hospitals and nursing staff, although the details are still being worked, Gardner said. Finally, the system could be extended to the company's other seven SSM hospitals in the St. Louis area, he said.
Biovigil's chief customer officer, Brent Nibarger, said customers will not buy the system, but will pay a monthly subscription fee of about $ 12 badges.
Jernigan said the CDC's high-tech systems can only help.
Jernigan said: "For a health care worker, keeping hands clean is the most important thing they can do to protect their patients."
 



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