A new study shows that even minimal improvements in hand hygiene compliance is associated with significant and substantial savings in hospital costs.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center (Durham, NC, USA) found:
A 200-bed hospital incurs a total of $1,779,283 in annual MRSA infection-related expenses that are directly attributable to hand hygiene noncompliance. According to the researchers, a mere 1% increase in hand hygiene compliance would result in annual savings of $39,650; an increase in hand hygiene adherence by 5% would result in a mean decrease in expected MRSA-related costs of $198,250. The study was published in the April 2010 issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
“Many other pathogens are also spread to patients on the hands of healthcare workers as a result of noncompliance with hand hygiene. In fact, in some reports MRSA accounts for fewer than 8% of all hospital-acquired infections,” concluded lead author Keith Cummings, M.D., and colleagues of the department of medicine. “Because our model focused on costs associated only with MRSA transmission, it substantially underestimated the costs associated with hand hygiene noncompliance.”
Monday, April 26, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Georgia Poison Control Center Reports 20% Increase in Alcohol-Hand Sanitizer Ingestion
Georgia Poison Control Center says "2-3 reports every day of kids licking alcohol-based hand sanitizer off of their hands.."
Click on the title link for full story from CBS News Reporter Stephany Fisher.
Click on the title link for full story from CBS News Reporter Stephany Fisher.
Lit can of hand sanitizer causes minor explosion in North Fargo
Yes, we've all heard a variety of interesting stories coming out of Fargo, North Dakota...but merely a reminder for those that didn't realize that alcohol-based hand sanitizers are flammable. Anyone from TSA paying attention??
Click on the title link for the story.
Click on the title link for the story.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
FDA Prompted to Review Safety of Triclosan in range of consumer produts..including hand soaps/hand sanitizers
This is the extract from late-breaking news courtesy of Reuters. (full story by clicking on title link)
Important to note that more than one year ago, this blog profiled the questionable use of Triclosan as the active ingredient within select hand sanitizer products (including P&G's Vick's brand)...and pointed out that the majority of alcohol-free hand sanitizer products incorporate benzalkonium chloride, considered to be one of the safest organic compounds.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it was reviewing the safety of triclosan, a widely used antibacterial agent found in soap, toothpaste and a range of other consumer products.
One member of Congress, Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey, called for strict limits.
"Despite the fact that this chemical is found in everything from soaps to socks, there are many troubling questions about triclosan's effectiveness and potentially harmful effects, especially for children," Markey said in a statement.
"I call upon the federal government to ban the use of triclosan in consumer soaps and hand-washes, products intended for use by children, and products intended to come into contact with food. In addition, I will soon introduce legislation to speed up the government's efforts to evaluate and regulate other substances that may pose similar public health concerns."
Important to note that more than one year ago, this blog profiled the questionable use of Triclosan as the active ingredient within select hand sanitizer products (including P&G's Vick's brand)...and pointed out that the majority of alcohol-free hand sanitizer products incorporate benzalkonium chloride, considered to be one of the safest organic compounds.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it was reviewing the safety of triclosan, a widely used antibacterial agent found in soap, toothpaste and a range of other consumer products.
One member of Congress, Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey, called for strict limits.
"Despite the fact that this chemical is found in everything from soaps to socks, there are many troubling questions about triclosan's effectiveness and potentially harmful effects, especially for children," Markey said in a statement.
"I call upon the federal government to ban the use of triclosan in consumer soaps and hand-washes, products intended for use by children, and products intended to come into contact with food. In addition, I will soon introduce legislation to speed up the government's efforts to evaluate and regulate other substances that may pose similar public health concerns."
H1N1 Spread Linked to Seasonal Flu Shots
Four new studies conducted by Canadian researchers conclude that the traditional seasonal flu vaccine seems to have boosted the risk of infection with pandemic H1N1 swine flu by almost double.
In one study, the researchers revealed to use ongoing sentinel monitoring system in order to assess the frequency of prior vaccination with the seasonal flu vaccine in people suffering fromH1N1
swine flu in 2009 compared to people without swine flu.
The study discovered that seasonal flu vaccination was linked with a 68 percent boosted risk of falling in prey to swine flu.
The Canadian sentinel study showed that receipt of TIV in the previous season (autumn 2008) appeared to increase the risk of pH1N1 illness by 1.03- to 2.74-fold, even after adjustment for comorbidities, age, and geography
In one study, the researchers revealed to use ongoing sentinel monitoring system in order to assess the frequency of prior vaccination with the seasonal flu vaccine in people suffering from
The study discovered that seasonal flu vaccination was linked with a 68 percent boosted risk of falling in prey to swine flu.
The Canadian sentinel study showed that receipt of TIV in the previous season (autumn 2008) appeared to increase the risk of pH1N1 illness by 1.03- to 2.74-fold, even after adjustment for comorbidities, age, and geography
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