Hand hygiene plays a seminal role in preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), necessitating innovative and effective strategies to promote adherence to hygiene practices. An extraordinary effort to improve hand hygiene adherence rates at Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center was made through the implementation of a collaborative initiative known as the “90’s SwipeSense Club”. This innovative, data-driven, and engaging approach resulted in a substantial improvement in hand hygiene adherence rates, which rose from 53% in 2021 to a laudable 84% in May 2024.
The World Health Organization has spotlighted five crucial moments during patient care, when proper hand hygiene should be practiced: before touching a patient; before a procedure; after a procedure or exposure to body fluids; after touching a patient, and after touching the patient’s surroundings. Despite the pivotal importance of these moments, average global adherence to hand hygiene is reported to be around 40% without targeted interventions, albeit slightly higher in critical care settings, emphasizing the need for effective strategies to elevate these rates.
One such strategy employed effectively by Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center is the use of the data-driven SwipeSense technology along with the “90’s Club” initiative. SwipeSense encompasses a system with caregiver badges, hygiene sensors, location hubs, and communication hubs, all installed strategically across the hospital to effectively track hand hygiene practices. It provides real-time data on adherence rates, allowing the hospital to act quickly to improve perspectives where necessary.
The “90’s Club” initiative was designed to cultivate a culture of appreciation and reward proper hygiene practices. Through this initiative, individuals or teams achieving high levels of adherence to hand hygiene are recognized and incentivized. With the successful introduction of the 90’s Club, the hospital saw a spike in hand hygiene adherence rates to an impressive 78% by the end of 2023 and a current score of 84% for 2024.
Coupling technological advances like SwipeSense with motivational initiatives such as the 90’s Club fosters an environment of engagement and commitment to hand hygiene practices. Accurate data collection using SwipeSense and the resulting analysis played a significant role in identifying areas requiring improvement and scrutinizing workflow processes to optimize hygiene practice adherence.
Sustaining high adherence rates is equally dependent on addressing operational challenges. As such, protocols have been put in place to overcome these challenges, such as ensuring the correct wearing of hand hygiene tiles and taking into account unique situations where staff roles change. These measures have contributed to a rise in hand hygiene adherence and a corresponding decrease in HAIs, marking notable improvements in patient safety and overall care quality.
In conclusion, the combined application of SwipeSense technology and the 90’s Club initiative has been instrumental in bolstering hand hygiene practices at Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center, yielding improved patient outcomes and quality of care.
Source: https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/the-90-s-club-successful-hand-hygiene-adherence-campaign