Hand Hygiene News and Research

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Researchers quantify effects of drying to measure bacteria after hand wash

Not drying your hands thoroughly after washing them, could increase the spread of bacteria and rubbing your hands whilst using a conventional electric hand dryer could be a contributing factor. Frequently people give up drying their hands and wipe them on their clothes instead, but hand-hygiene is a key part of infection control and drying hands after washing is a very important part of the process.

7 Sep 2010

Mandatory influenza vaccination for healthcare personnel needed

Influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel is a professional and ethical responsibility and non-compliance with healthcare facility policies regarding vaccination should not be tolerated, according to a position paper released today by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).

31 Aug 2010

Policies, practices concerning MRSA differ among acute-care hospitals in the U.S.: Researchers

Hospitals vary in how they detect and treat drug-resistant staph infections, but most follow national guideline recommendations, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

18 Aug 2010

West Michigan Business Review names DCC as 2010 Michigan Innovator

Dynamic Computer Corporation was named a 2010 Michigan Innovator by the West Michigan Business Review on July 28th for their Hand-Hygiene Compliant solution using Radio Frequency Identification. This HHC solution was developed in an effort to reduce the number of healthcare-associated infections that the US healthcare industry is pained with annually.

5 Aug 2010

Universal surveillance for MRSA decreased HAIs related to devices: Study

Pitt County Memorial Hospital today announced results of a study demonstrating that universal surveillance for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus decreased health care-associated infections related to devices. Infection rates decreased 68 percent for ventilator-associated pneumonias; 51 percent for central line-associated bacteremias; and 49 percent for catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

14 Jul 2010

APIC survey uncovers barriers in adoption of best practices for CRBSI prevention in hospitals

Hospitals still struggle to prevent avoidable healthcare-associated infections, according to a survey of infection preventionists released today by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Half of those surveyed agree that catheter-related bloodstream infections continue to be a problem in their facilities and cite lack of time, resources, and the commitment of hospital leadership as hindering their ability to combat these infections more aggressively.

13 Jul 2010

MRSA survivors unite across the globe to raise awareness and educate public on prevention

MRSA Survivors Network with MRSA survivors, family members and other victims of healthcare-acquired infections unite across the globe and on World MRSA Day, October 2, 2010 in a grassroots movement to raise awareness and push for more mandated reporting of infections, MRSA screening laws, funds to raise awareness and educate the public on prevention, which will save lives.

15 Jun 2010

Ambulatory Surgery Center industry responds to infection control concerns raised in JAMA

As leading organizations representing the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) industry, we wish to address concerns raised in this month's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) highlighting data from a 2008 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) pilot study. The industry underscores its strong commitment to patient safety and its nationwide efforts to provide high-quality, patient-centered care at a low cost to the health care system.

11 Jun 2010

Lapses in infection control common in ambulatory surgical centers

An assessment of nearly 70 ambulatory surgical centers in three states found that lapses in infection control were common, including for practices such as hand hygiene, injection and medication safety and equipment reprocessing, according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA.

9 Jun 2010

3M announces acquisition of J.R. Phoenix

3M announced today it has acquired J.R. Phoenix Ltd., a manufacturer of hand hygiene and skin care products for health care and professional use including soaps, hand cleansers, moisturizing and protecting creams, antimicrobial soaps and sanitizing gels, shampoo and body wash.

29 May 2010

University of Iowa develops iScrub Lite 1.5 application to monitor hand hygiene

One of the most common causes of preventable health care-associated infections is poor hand hygiene. iScrub Lite 1.5, an iPhone and iPod touch application developed at the University of Iowa, makes monitoring hand hygiene compliance more efficient and accurate.

5 May 2010

Practicing NPIs may help limit transmission of pandemic flu: Study

Practicing non-pharmaceutical interventions such as hand-washing and mouth covering may help limit the transmission of the pandemic flu, but more research on these measures is critical according to a new study appearing in the May issue of AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.

30 Apr 2010

International Day for Fighting Infection focuses on hospital infection control

Hospital acquired infections are the focus for the 3rd International Day for Fighting Infection, being marked on St. George’s Day, as experts meet to look at the evolution of infection control in hospitals.

22 Apr 2010

Hospital acquired infections on the increase

Despite being reported over a decade ago, little has been done in America to reduce hospital born infections as per a Health and Human Services department quality report for 2009 to Congress. Hospital acquired infections seem to be on the increase according to the report when compared with statistics available for 2007. The situation is being seen as critical by many health care experts.

14 Apr 2010

Xhale Innovations wins 2010 Medical Design Excellence Award for HyGreen hand hygiene system

HyGreen™, developed by Xhale Innovations, Inc., has been selected as a winner in the 2010 Medical Design Excellence Awards competition, one of the most prestigious awards in the medical device industry. The announcement comes on the heels of winning the 2009 Popular Science Best of What's New Award, and is the latest success for this market-defining product.

8 Apr 2010

Amherst Dialysis staff honored with End Stage Renal Disease Patient Safety Improvement Award

Laura Simms has spent 12 hours a week receiving hemodialysis treatment since last fall, when her kidneys failed as a result of high blood pressure. The 50-year-old Monroe resident says the staff at University of Virginia Health System's Amherst Dialysis clinic have become like family to her.

2 Apr 2010

Intensive program helps French hospital reduce MRSA rates over 15-year period

An intensive program of surveillance, precautions, training and feedback in a large multihospital institution appears to be associated with reductions in rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) over a 15-year period, according to a report in the March 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

23 Mar 2010

Noveko, AMD-Ritmed announce distribution agreement for Microban hand sanitizers

Noveko International Inc. is pleased to announce that its subsidiary Noveko Inc. has entered into a distribution agreement with AMD-Ritmed Inc., a North American leader in the development and distribution of specialized high-quality and disposable medical supplies.

22 Mar 2010

SHEA, APIC awarded first Partnership in Prevention Award to National Guard Health Affairs in Saudi Arabia

During the Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology awarded their first Partnership in Prevention Award to the National Guard Health Affairs in Saudi Arabia.

20 Mar 2010

Implementation of evidenced-based practices reduces all healthcare-associated MRSA infections

Scientists at The Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center found that an emphasis on compliance with non-pathogen specific infection control practices such as hand hygiene, efforts to reduce device-related infections and chlorhexidine bathing (a daily bath with the same antibacterial agent used by surgeons to "scrub in" before an operation), is successful in reducing rates of healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

19 Mar 2010