A study conducted at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan, involved taking samples of the bacteria on healthcare workers’ hands in hospital units with low handwashing compliance, then showing the workers pictures of bacterial colonies similar to those found on their skin.
“Hospital staff wanted to wash their hands after looking at the book and picturing similar contamination on their own skin,” Ashley Gregory, an infection prevention specialist who co-led the project, said in a statement. “Using this example, other institutions may be able to change behavior and improve their hand hygiene compliance rates by influencing staff to connect the images of microbial contamination with non-adherence to hand hygiene guidelines.”
The units involved in the study demonstrated increased compliance between 11 percent and 46 percent. This isn’t the first research to suggest a visual stimulant helps improve compliance. A study published earlier this year found that hanging an image of a man’s staring eyes at handwashing stations was associated with a significant increase in the volume of hand hygiene solutions dispensed.
More articles on infection control:
Hand hygiene compliance spikes when using WHO method, study finds
Viral video channels Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars song “Uptown Funk” to inspire hand hygiene
Which advertising strategy prompts hand hygiene compliance most?
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
