A recent article in Modern Healthcare provides a good warning AND REASONS to increase our vigilance and attention to Hand Hygiene, as follows:
About 722,000 hospital-acquired infections occurred in the U.S. in 2011 and about 75,000 people died with such an infection during their inpatient stay, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.- Poor hand hygiene of physicians and health care employees is considered a major contributor to hospital-acquired infections.
- The Joint Commission will now issue a citation to healthcare organizations if, during on-site visits, surveyors witness an physician or employee failing to follow correct hand hygiene guidelines.
- The change, which went into effect January 1, 2018 is intended to improve physicians and all healthcare workers’ compliance with proper hand washing.
More information will soon be forthcoming All will receive more regarding new programming throughout Shore Regional Health to increase and improve our hand hygiene!
Thanks for your attention to this important patient and personal safety issue.