December 7, 2007

MGHers succeed in making hand hygiene 90-90 goal

Staff of Bigelow 7 celebrate reaching 100-100 hand hygiene compliance.

MGHers achieved the Hand Hygiene Incentive Program goal of reaching at least 90 percent hand hygiene compliance before and after patient contact for the months of November and September, arriving at 90-92 and 90-93 respectively. In November, four units succeeded in reaching 100-100 hand hygiene compliance before and after patient contact: Bigelow 6, Bigelow 7, Phillips House 20 and Phillips House 22. The achievements of these groups take the MGH closer to its ultimate goal of hospitalwide 100-100 hand hygiene compliance.

Patient safety is always a top priority at the MGH, and using an alcohol-based hand disinfectant such as Cal Stat before and after contact with the patient or the patient's environment is one way of promoting safe patient care and preventing the spread of infections.