Reduce Pathogenic Organisms with Varidyn’s Hand Hygiene Monitoring System: The Importance of Hand Hygiene in Healthcare

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) present a common and costly problem for hospitals. As HAIs have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become even more imperative to work toward preventing infections. Fortunately, organizations can take some simple steps toward infection prevention that benefits staff and patients, allowing those who enter the hospital setting to feel safer working and receiving care. With Varidyn’s Hand Hygiene Monitoring System (HHMS), hospitals will see an impact in reducing the pathogenic organisms that cause HAIs beyond typical hand-washing protocols.

What Is a HAI?

HAI stands for hospital-acquired infection, which is an illness or infection a person gets from receiving treatment or working in a hospital setting. One in 10 people who go to the hospital for treatment will get one in the form of C. diff, GI illnesses like gastroenteritis, MRSA, urinary tract infections, surgical site infections, and others. Some patients are at a higher risk of contracting these infections, such as those who:

• Are elderly or very young
• Have compromised immune systems or underlying conditions
• Require invasive medical devices
• Take specific antibiotics or medications
• Have surgical complications
• Have been exposed to illness or infection from others

Fortunately, many preventative tactics for HAIs involve following simple guidelines, including maintaining hand hygiene and using personal protective equipment (PPE). Following regulations to keep surfaces and equipment clean, including workstations, point-of-care and electronic devices, and medical curtains and privacy screens, also promotes a more sanitary environment that reduces the incidence of HAIs.

How Can the HHMS Help Reduce Pathogenic Organisms?

Varidyn’s HHMS makes hand hygiene more convenient for staff by creating a more efficient and effective way to improve infection control. The system uses advanced monitoring technology that tracks hand hygiene events per patient day. It provides easy access to data and reports on hand hygiene compliance for a whole facility or a ward/department.

Busy staff may struggle to remember to fill an empty dispenser when they have other urgent duties to attend to. The HHMS sends notifications and reminders when its dispensers need to be filled, or its batteries run low and need replacing. It has a robust task management system that produces reports showing hygiene compliance statistics for the organization and heat maps for dispenser utilization throughout the facility. It also has the ability to set custom tasks for Infection Prevention and Environmental Service protocols. Its touchless dispenser reduces contact that spreads germs, and the dispensers come in two sizes—750 ml and 1250 ml—to accommodate hospital needs to promote better hand hygiene.

These features combined make staff more likely to comply with hand hygiene requirements, which then promotes better health within the organization. In addition, it makes staff less likely to pass along pathogenic organisms to patients while treating many people each day and keeps the hospital environment cleaner over time.

Why Is Hand Hygiene Important in Healthcare Facilities?

Aside from preventing breaking the chain of infection by killing infectious pathogens, hand hygiene has related benefits for healthcare organizations. HAIs contribute to longer patient stays in hospital facilities, patient readmissions, and drive up hospital costs with funds spent on treating HAIs. Preventing infections is always cheaper than treating them, and hospitals see a high ROI with Varidyn’s HHMS when the system:

• Shortens patient hospital stays
• Reduces the chance of readmission within 30 days
• Lowers hospital costs
• Leads to 26% fewer antibiotic treatment days
• Reduces hospital waste by using recyclable materials

Hand hygiene is one of the easiest ways to reduce pathogenic organisms and keep patients healthier long-term. With Varidyn’s HHMS, promoting better hygiene practices becomes even simpler as the staff don’t even need to touch the device to use it and benefit themselves and their patients.

Varidyn has everything you need to keep your hospital staff, patients, and visitors safe with its Hand Hygiene Monitoring System. To learn more about our products and services, call Varidyn at 800-827-3035 today.