Comprehensive survey of hand hygiene measurement and improvement practices in the Veterans Health Administration

Heather Schacht Reisinger; Jun Yin; Lewis Radonovich; V. Troy Knighton; Richard A Martinello; Michael J Hodgson; Eli Perencevich

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2013.04.016

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Comprehensive survey of hand hygiene measurement and improvement practices in the Veterans Health Administration

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Comprehensive survey of hand hygiene measurement and improvement practices in the Veterans Health Administration

Heather Schacht Reisinger, Jun Yin, Lewis Radonovich, V. Troy Knighton, Richard A Martinello, Michael J Hodgson and Eli Perencevich

AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control, Vol.41(11), pp.989-993

11/2013

DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2013.04.016

PMID: 23932826

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Abstract

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is a national health care system with variation in hand hygiene (HH) measurement and improvement practices across its facilities. The objective of this national survey was to characterize this variability and identify opportunities for standardization. Survey covered 3 major areas of HH: (1) methods of measuring HH compliance, (2) interventions to improve HH compliance, and (3) site-specific targets for HH compliance. One hundred forty-one (100%) VHA medical centers returned the survey. A majority (98.6%) of the medical centers conduct direct observations to measure HH compliance rates. Fewer than half (45.3%) validate the observer process at the onset, and fewer still (39.6%) continue to validate observers. Main behaviors that are considered HH opportunities are room entry (69.1%) and exit (71.9%). Improvement interventions include posters (97.2%), feedback (eg, 98.6% to leadership), and improved access to HH products (eg, 90.6% provide individual hand sanitizers to staff). Mandatory education programs for clinical staff are conducted in 88.5% of the medical centers. The majority of the medical centers (77.3%) set their HH compliance target over 90%. Although HH improvement interventions are relatively similar across VHA medical centers, variation exists in compliance monitoring. Findings will assist in standardizing surveillance and next steps in hand hygiene policy in VHA.

Intervention

System-wide survey

Compliance

Monitoring

hand hygiene

hand washing

Details

Title: Subtitle: Comprehensive survey of hand hygiene measurement and improvement practices in the Veterans Health Administration
Creators: Heather Schacht Reisinger - Center for Comprehensive Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City VAH CS, Iowa City, IA
Jun Yin - College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Lewis Radonovich - Office of Public Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC
V. Troy Knighton - Office of Public Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC
Richard A Martinello - Office of Public Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC
Michael J Hodgson - Office of Public Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC
Eli Perencevich - Center for Comprehensive Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE), Iowa City VAH CS, Iowa City, IA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control, Vol.41(11), pp.989-993
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2013.04.016
PMID: 23932826
NLM abbreviation: Am J Infect Control
ISSN: 0196-6553
eISSN: 1527-3296
Publisher: Mosby, Inc
Grant note: Center for Occupational Health and Infection Control
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 08/09/2013
Date published: 11/2013
Academic Unit: Epidemiology; Center for Social Science Innovation; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9983779498002771

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