Clean Hands Safe Hands, a hand hygiene monitoring system developed by Chris Hermann, PhD, has received a patent for its Natural Language Voice Reminder feature and its variable detection range technology. The system is designed to reduce the spread of infection by providing a technology platform that reminds clinicians to practice hand hygiene without disrupting their workflow.
Infection control continues to be a serious issue of concern for hospitals. At the recent AAMI conference, George Mills of The Joint Commission noted that each year approximately 700,000 patients in the United States contract a hospital-acquired infection, and about 80,000 die. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, roughly 1 in 25 patients acquire an infection during hospital admission, leading to nearly a million infections annually in the US. Those organizations stress hand hygiene as the single most important step in preventing the spread of infections throughout hospitals.
The Clean Hands Safe Hands system features a Natural Language Voice Reminder, an audio recording of a person’s voice prompting staff to wash their hands if they have not already done so. According to the company, the system’s reminder distinguishes it from the beeps and alerts that characterize other hospital monitoring equipment. The variable detection range enables customization based on individual facilities, hospital units, patient rooms, and patients. A year-long peer reviewed clinical research study found that the Natural Language Voice Reminder demonstrated the ability to improve hand hygiene by more than 400%, the company says.
For more information, visit the Clean Hands Safe Hands website.
