Hand Hygiene News and Research

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Commonly used strategy has no effect in reducing MRSA, VRE in hospital ICUs

A new research study of the effect of a commonly used strategy to reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospital intensive care units shows that the strategy had no significant effect. That's the surprising finding of a multisite study led by Mayo Clinic investigators.

19 Apr 2011

MCH: HyGreen Hand Hygiene Reminder System reduces infections by 89%

Xhale Innovations, a leading provider of patient safety technology, announced today the results of a study presented by Miami Children's Hospital at the Annual Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Conference on the HyGreen Hand Hygiene Reminder System.

6 Apr 2011

Study: Electronic faucets more likely to become contaminated with bacteria

Researchers at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have determined that electronic faucets are more likely to become contaminated with unacceptably high levels of bacteria, including Legionella spp., compared with traditional manually operated faucets.

1 Apr 2011

U.S. Health And Human Services Secretary celebrates Patient Safety program achievements

An effort to improve quality and make Ohio the safest state in the nation for health care has garnered national attention.

22 Mar 2011

Wash your hands? You may now approach the patient bed!

Each year patients in the U.S. get more than a million infections while in the hospital being treated for something else. The best way to prevent infection is to practice proper hand hygiene, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

17 Mar 2011

Expert discusses certain measures that can help prevent HAI spread

Healthcare-associated infections represent a growing concern for both patients and healthcare providers across the nation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 1.7 million HAIs occur each year and contribute to the death of 99,000.

17 Mar 2011

Improper food handling can lead to gastrointestinal illness in children

In the confined space of a classroom, gastrointestinal illnesses can spread quickly, causing sufferers many painful and uncomfortable symptoms. But what is to blame for a school-based outbreak? In most cases, improper food handling is the culprit, says a Ryerson University public health expert.

28 Jan 2011

Study finds link between public transport and risk of catching ARI

You are six times more likely to end up at the doctors with an acute respiratory infection if you have recently used a bus or tram — but those who use buses or trams daily might well be somewhat protected compared with more occasional users.

19 Jan 2011

WSHA receives 2010 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award

The Washington State Hospital Association today received the 2010 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Award for work advancing the collaboration of hospitals around patient safety. This is one of the highest honors an organization can receive for patient safety and quality.

13 Jan 2011

Private rooms in the ICU help reduce hospital infections

A research team from the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and McGill University has demonstrated that private rooms in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) play a key role in reducing hospital infections like C-difficile. The study, published today in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, also suggests that length of stay would be shorter and this could lead to cost savings to the healthcare system.

12 Jan 2011

Medical aid workers should take pre-travel precautions to prevent disease transmission

Guidance about pre-travel precautions and preventive measures are highlighted in the December 1, 2010 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, written by clinicians and researchers at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and their partners from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Naval Medical Research Center and others.

11 Jan 2011

Contamination with potential disease-causing bacteria is commonly found on hands of anesthesia providers

Contaminating bacteria are very commonly found on the hands of anesthesia providers, with high rates of transmission to the surgical field during operations, reports a study in the January issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society.

22 Dec 2010

Rate of health care-associated infections in developing countries more than double U.S., European rates, study finds

The rate of health care-associated infections in developing countries is more than three times the rate of cases in the U.S. and more than double the rate in Europe, according to a study published Friday in the Lancet, BBC reports (12/9).

13 Dec 2010

New CIMIT Accelerator program spins out HanGenix

A recently formed Boston-based start up called HanGenix is the first company to be spun out of the new CIMIT Accelerator program. HanGenix is focused on reducing hospital acquired infections (HAI) by installing comprehensive hand hygiene solutions that remind clinicians to perform proper hand hygiene and document their compliance.

20 Oct 2010

Older people who do not get vaccinated rely on indigenous health practices

Eating steamed pears, having a soothing massage or bathing in a herbal mixture are just some of indigenous health practices used by older people to ward off or treat influenza, according to research published in the October issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

12 Oct 2010

BioVigil system can improve hand sanitizer usage

Over 99,000 Americans die each year as a result of Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIs). According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), hand hygiene is the single most effective way to combat hospital-acquired infections and prevent these unnecessary deaths.

1 Oct 2010

Flu shots, heart attacks and flu prevention guidelines

According to a new British study yearly flu shots may protect against heart attacks, and the earlier in the season a shot is given the greater the protection. Niroshan Siriwardena, a professor of primary and pre-hospital health care at the University of Lincoln said, “The risk of getting a heart attack was reduced by 19 percent for those who had a vaccination in the past year.”

21 Sep 2010

Tips to keep students healthy, from brain to body

With kids back in school, good health starts with clean hands. Now that the new school year has begun, many moms are looking for an extra hand to help keep their kids healthy and reduce sick days. In fact, elementary school students who do not use proper hand hygiene will miss more school than those that do employ good hand-washing habits, according to an American Journal of Infection Control study.

18 Sep 2010

More adults washing hands in public restrooms

In the latest observational study sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology and the American Cleaning Institute- (formerly The Soap and Detergent Association), 85% of adults washed their hands in public restrooms, compared with 77% in 2007. The 85% total was actually the highest observed since these studies began in 1996. The results were announced at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, an infectious disease meeting sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology.

14 Sep 2010

3M to acquire Arizant for $810M

3M announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Arizant Inc. for a purchase price of $810 million in cash. Based in Eden Prairie, Minn., Arizant is a leading manufacturer of patient warming solutions designed to prevent hypothermia in surgical settings.

9 Sep 2010