Some claim that Direct Observation (D.O.) is the best method to both (A) measure, and (B) change hand hygiene behavior. We assert that D.O. can do one or the other, but not both. (And it does neither particularly effectively, which we’ll get to later.) First, let’s look at using D.O. to measure hand hygiene behavior. Let’s put aside most of the problems with D.O., such as observer bias, recall bias, small sample size, inability to see into rooms,
(Click Here to View Article as a PDF) fool’s gold (ˈfo͞olz ˌɡōld): something that you think will be very pleasant or successful but is not. Direct observation is no longer the gold standard in hand hygiene performance monitoring. Direct observation is, rather, the “Fool’s Gold” standard. You remember Fool’s Gold, or iron pyrite. It’s a mineral – not a metal – that’s shiny and gold-colored. It’s often confused for the real thing, but there is no value. People
There’s no question that hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a challenge for medical facilities. All major agencies agree that proper hand hygiene is the cornerstone of infection control. But how can you improve your hospital’s hand hygiene? Clean Hands – Safe Hands uses a systematic, six phase process that leverages technology to drive behavioral change and deliver value to hospitals along the journey to HAI reduction. It has more than tripled hand hygiene performance rates in many hospitals across
(Click here to read the article on Healthcare Business Today) (Click here to read the original article in PDF format.) By Chris Hermann August 1, 2017 Hospital Experiences a 74 Percent Reduction in C. diff in 6 Months There is little argument today that proper hand hygiene by clinical staff reduces the spread of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs). The challenge is how to make it happen consistently. Old methods of direct observation haven’t worked. Direct observation was, at one point,
For Clean Hands – Safe Hands, APIC 2017 brought new energy and inspiration to our team. We met so many Infection Control professionals that share our passion for reducing HAIs. This year, more than previously, everyone agreed that direct observation doesn’t work. We’ve written about this before, but it’s not just us – multiple studies have shown that direct observation can overstate compliance rates by up to 300%.[1] With direct observation falling from favor, APIC attendees were more
There are no quick fixes for Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs). Hand hygiene is the cornerstone for reducing HAIs, but improving those practices is not an easy task for hospitals, especially for those that continue to use traditional methods. The importance of hand hygiene was established over 170 years ago—yet, in many respects, we keep trying the same things without much success. Sometimes you have to let go of status quo. Currently, the most common approach to reducing hand
