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Hand Hygiene Intiative
Olean General Hospital (OGH) has launched a comprehensive Hand Hygiene Initiative (HHI), which is supported by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and designed to reduce the number of infections acquired in the healthcare setting.
"Our hospital is committed to taking meaningful steps to prevent healthcare associated infections," said Timothy J. Finan, president and CEO. "This Hand Hygiene Initiative is a reflection of our continuing effort to provide high quality care and ensure the safest possible environment for our patients."
Currently, approximately 90,000 hospital patients die nationwide each year as a result of healthcare associated infections. Proper hygiene practices can go a long way in preventing the spread of infection. This new initiative is aimed at promoting a change in culture that stresses the importance of hand hygiene, with the ultimate goal of saving lives.
As healthcare workers are often exposed to infectious bacteria, and can obtain thousands of bacteria by completing simple tasks such as taking a pulse or blood pressure, this initiative stresses the importance of washing hands before entering and exiting patient rooms at the hospital. In order to reduce the risk of infection, hospital officials are focusing on promoting daily practices for employees, patients and visitors.
"The infection rate at our hospital is well below the national average, and has decreased each year for the last five years," said Gail Bagazzoli, RN, BSN, Manager of Infection Prevention and Control at Olean General Hospital. "Still, we want to educate our patients and visitors about the importance of hand hygiene. Our patients are encouraged to ask everyone entering their room, including family members, friends, nursing staff and physicians, if they’ve washed their hands before entering. This minor step will go a long way in continuing to reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections."
Hand sanitizer dispensers are located throughout the hospital, including each patient room, outside of each elevator, and throughout every main hallway. Hospital officials are actively monitoring hand hygiene compliance, and have created numerous educational materials, which are available throughout the facility, to promote the initiative.
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is an independent, not-for profit-organization focused on motivating and building the will for change, identifying and testing new models of care in partnership with both patients and health care professionals, and ensuring the broadest possible adoption of best practices and effective innovations.
