The habit of washing ones hands can spell illness or good health for healthcare providers and patients in hospitals. While hospitals have enforced hand cleanliness policies for its employees, there are people who just don't acquire the habit so hospitals today turn to technology.
A Michigan-based company developed Biovigil system that makes use of badge and sensors to promote proper hand hygiene and prevent healthcare associated infections. Healthcare practitioners are encouraged to sanitize their hand before interacting with patients. The badge illuminates a green light if one's hands are clean while it turns red if healthcare providers forget to sanitize their hands.The Biovigil system also makes use of sensors along doorways and reports everything to a central server in a facility.
According to CBS News, the Biovigil has had 97 percent compliance in terms of hand hygiene as tested at SSM St. Mary's Health Center located in Richmond Heights, Missouri.
"It is comforting for me to know their hands are clean as soon as the badge beeps and it goes from yellow to green," said Bill Rogers, a patient at St. Marys.
Similar to the concept of Biovigil, the HyGreen Hand Hygiene Reminder System also makese use of sensors that detect alcohol on a healthcare professional's hands. Dirty hands will make the wall-mounted device buzz. Three dings and the system will report the hospital employee for non-compliance.
Hospital infections fell by 66 percent at a Children's Hospital in Miami where HyGreen is being used.
Another high-tech hand hygiene tool is the Smartlink system developed by Purell-manufacturer GOJO Industries in Ohio. The system tracks the use of hand sanitizer and soap dispenser use with wireless technology.
"We've known for over 150 years that good hand hygiene prevents patients from getting infections. However, it's been a very chronic and difficult problem to get adherence levels up as high as we'd like them to be," said Dr. John Jernigan of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in an interview with the Star Tribune.
According to the CDC, one of 20 patients in the United States acquire infections in hospitals.
Another study that was published in the Journal of Environmental Health revealed that 95 percent of individuals are not washing their hands correctly. Experts say that two "Happy Birthday" songs or roughly 20 seconds will be a good gauge when soaping the fingertips, back of the hands, and the spaces between fingers.
Watch how Biovigil, one of the high-tech hand hygiene systems, works in the video below:
