Hand hygiene is the No. 1 defense against healthcare-acquired infections, and it is estimated that handwashing alone could prevent 20,000 patient deaths per year. Despite this, studies have shown that handwashing compliance among healthcare workers is poor.
As a leader in patient safety, Loyola University Health System in Maywood, Ill. will host a forum on March 10 with hand hygiene authority Didier Pittet, MD, MS, WHO World Alliance for Patient Safety advisory board member, as well as Mark R. Chassin, MD, FACP MPP, MPH, president of the Joint Commission. This forum will educate local healthcare leaders about proper handwashing techniques as well as provide strategies to overcome challenges to achieving a highly effective hand hygiene program.
A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings
July 9th 2025Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.
Happy Hand Hygiene Day! Rethinking Glove Use for Safer, Cleaner, and More Ethical Health Care
May 5th 2025Despite their protective role, gloves are often misused in health care settings—undermining hand hygiene, risking patient safety, and worsening environmental impact. Alexandra Peters, PhD, points out that this misuse deserves urgent attention, especially today, World Hand Hygiene Day.