iPad Technology-Based Hygiene Monitoring System Ensures HCW Compliance with WHO Regulations

Healthquest Technologies repurposes iPad technology to detect person-to-person contact. The now-familiar touch detection technology one uses to input and access information on the iPhone or iPad screen (capacitive touch technology) has resulted in a one-of-its-kind U.S. patent No. 7,893,842 being issued to Dr. Richard Deutsch of Raleigh N.C., for a hygiene monitoring and compliance record system that actively detects patient or bed contact by caregivers while observing their hand hygiene activities, thereby assuring near 100 percent heathcare worker compliance with the World Health Organization's 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene. Additionally, new technology developed by Deutsch can now detect unsanitized caregiver contact with a patient's intravenous line.

This new and innovative monitoring technology provides a means for determining the exact moment of actual physical contact between the healthcare worker, the patient, and their bed, ventilator or IV. Person-to-person or person to medical device contact generates color coded graphics on an iPad like display screen reflecting caregiver hygiene status while simultaneously activating color coded lights on caregiver and patient vibrating wrist bands and badges.

In contrast to the level of precise monitoring demonstrated by the new "Safe-Hands" method of "point of care' hygiene surveillance, previous attempts at hand hygiene monitoring used RFID tags on badges to track a caregivers general location within a patients room while offering confusing claims of being "Based On" WHO's 5 moments, thereby simply guessing at the caregivers contamination and hand sanitizing opportunities while attending the patient.

Upon review, HAI prevention expert Dr. William Jarvis is quoted as saying, "Hand hygiene is a critical and essential element in HAI prevention. Any technology that can detect and promote hand hygiene during the most important healthcare worker activities, i.e., patient and patient medical device contact, should become the standard for promoting hand hygiene."

Facilities for this point of care hand hygiene monitoring and compliance documenting innovation include hospitals and outpatient medical facilities (including emergency departments, hemodialysis, endoscopy clinic, long-term care facilities etc.). Additional details for the Safe-Hands hygiene monitoring system can be found at: http://www.SafeHandsNow.com