Our research
demonstrated that hand hygiene increased when we installed Hand Hygiene Monitor. More importantly,
the Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) rate decreased as
hand hygiene compliance increased. The observed decreases in infection
rates range from 20% to 40%. Hand Hygiene Monitor
saved infections and dollars at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Hospital
as shown below.2
|
Infections |
Monthly |
|
per admit
|
per month*
|
Reduction in Infections
|
Savings**
|
Before HHM
|
9.4%
|
11.3
|
---
|
|
With HHM
|
7.5%
|
9.1
|
2.2
|
$44,500
|
After HHM
|
5.6%
|
6.8
|
4.5
|
$90,000
|
*based on 120 admits per month
**based on $20,000 per infection1
Strains of Staphylococcus
aureus with only intermediate susceptibility to vancomycin suggest that
high-level vancomycin resistance may soon be seen. By encouraging good
hand hygiene, Hand Hygiene Monitor
reduces the need for vancomycin and other antibiotics, thereby discouraging the
emergence of resistant bacteria in a cost-effective way.
References
1 Lipsett, John Hopkins University,
personal communication, 2002.
2 Swoboda, et al., 2004
|