Connectivity in Hand Hygiene: The OPHARDT Hygiene Monitoring System® supports hospitals through improved patient safety
Digitalisation is finding its way into the healthcare sector, to the benefit of patient safety. The use of intelligent dispensers that measure the amount dispensed, time and location of dispensers, enables the hospitals to carry out detailed analysis of hygiene behaviours.
Smart dispensers on hygiene-sensitive intensive care units
This innovative technology is now being used by the Evangelical Hospital in Lippstadt (EvK) with the introduction of the OPHARDT Hygiene Monitoring System® (OHMS). Hand hygiene has become „visible“ on one of the hospital’s intensive care units. Throughout the unit, 50 intelligent dispensers that automatically register useage data have been installed. Hygiene officials within the hospital have access to a web-based software that allows for detailed analysis of hand hygiene activities. This data helps identify potential areas of improvement quickly, and, if necessary, training sessions are organised to target and improve specific types of hand hygiene behaviour.
Key measures for infection protection
With the installation of OHMS the EvK has taken on a leading role in hand hygiene in the Soest area, and uses a wireless network of touchless dispensers as a critical component of their hygiene program – the hands-free dispenser systems effectively reduces cross contamination and improves compliance. Additionally, the hi-vis red colours attract hospital employees to their dispensers. This motivating feature has been used for some time at the hospital and has established itself as a useful component to support infection prevention.
„With the OPHARDT Hygiene Monitoring System® we can spot areas of improvement quickly and offer training sessions based on the data collected by the system. This allows us to adapt to any given situation. The instruments used to measure hand hygiene to date had weaknesses, were time intensive, and imprecise,“
said Jan-Henrick Wischer, specialist nurse for hospital hygiene and infection protection at the EvK. He continued,
„It was a conscious decision when we selected the complete solution with striking colours and touchless operation – our intention was to positively influence the hand hygiene.”
With a total of 35.000 patient treatments annually the 328-bed hospital is an important medical institution for the city of Lippstadt and surrounding area. With the introduction of an electronic monitoring system, the EvK has provided the residents of Lippstadt with an innovative system that will improve treatment quality and patient safety.
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