Impact of implementation of the World Health Organization multimodal hand hygiene improvement strategy in a teaching hospital in Taiwan

• Published in: American journal of infection control 2016-02, Vol.44 (2), p.222-227
• Main Authors: Chen, Jui-Kuang, MD, Wu, Kuan-Sheng, MD, Lee, Susan Shin-Jung, MD, PhD, Lin, Huey-Shyan, PhD, Tsai, Hung-Chin, MD, PhD, Li, Ching-Hsien, RN, ICN, Chao, Hsueh-Lan, RN, ICN, Chou, Hsueh-Chih, RN, Chen, Yueh-Ju, RN, ICN, Huang, Yu-Hsiu, RN, ICN, Ke, Chin-Mei, RN, ICN, Sy, Cheng Len, MD, Tseng, Yu-Ting, MD, Chen, Yao-Shen, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Compliance; Cost Savings; Cross Infection - economics; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Cross Infection - prevention & control; Guideline Adherence; Hand Hygiene - economics; Hand Hygiene - methods; Hands; Health care–associated infection; Health Personnel; Health Plan Implementation; Hospitals, Teaching; Humans; Hygiene; Infection Control; Infection Control - economics; Infection Control - methods; Infectious Disease; Multimodal hand hygiene promotion; Nosocomial infections; Preventive medicine; Respiratory Tract Infections - economics; Respiratory Tract Infections - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Infections - prevention & control; Taiwan - epidemiology; Teaching hospitals; Tertiary Care Centers; Urinary Tract Infections - economics; Urinary Tract Infections - epidemiology; Urinary Tract Infections - prevention & control; World Health Organization
• ISSN: 0196-6553; 1527-3296
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2015.10.004

Background Hand hygiene (HH) is considered to be the most simple, rapid, and economic way to prevent health care–associated infection (HAI). However, poor HH compliance has been repeatedly reported. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of implementing the updated World Health Organization (WHO) multimodal HH guidelines on HH compliance and HAI in a tertiary hospital in Taiwan. Methods We conducted a before-and-after interventional study during 2010-2011. A multimodal HH promotion campaign was initiated. Key strategies included providing alcohol-based handrub dispensers at points of care, designing educational programs tailored to the needs of different health care workers, placement of general and individual reminders in the workplace, and establishment of evaluation and feedback for HH compliance and infection rates. Results Overall HH compliance increased from 62.3% to 73.3% after 1 year of intervention ( P