Things Change.  For Good Reason.

If you’re still using direct observation to calculate hand hygiene compliance, there’s a better way.

Monitoring hand hygiene compliance and providing healthcare workers with feedback regarding their performance are key components of hand hygiene improvement programs, but finding an accurate way to measure hand hygiene compliance has been a challenge.

Because of a lack of viable alternatives, direct observation has been the accepted standard but it is costly, time-consuming and has a number of flaws:

The Hawthorne Effect:
Individuals behave differently when they know they are being watched, resulting in an artificially high rate of compliance.

Small sample size:
It is estimated that direct observation only captures half of one percent of all hand hygiene opportunities. 

Observer bias:
The observer may not be properly trained in standard observational techniques.  In addition, he or she may be biased – negatively or positively – toward the person being observed.

The recent advent of electronic monitoring systems provides hospitals with a true alternative to direct observation that is more accurate and cost-effective.

Join DebMed® in the effort to Lead the Change to a better way to monitor hand hygiene compliance.

Stop by and see us at an upcoming tradeshow or join us for a webinar.