The law requiring screening of patients for MRSA is a good idea, but only half the battle.  Not too long ago I wrote about a technology solution so I guess the paradigms of incorporating technology into healthcare are still so very slow to be adopted.  This technology gets everyone to “wash” their hands. image

So the solution in my opinion needs more teeth, in other words, part 2 to have real success as part one alone with a law is only a band aid.

Real Time Monitoring of When you Washed your Hands – Don’t Touch that Patient Until You Have Washed Your Hands

 
“When the employee comes within 2-3 feet of a patient bed,  a proximity sensing bed monitor wirelessly verifies that the healthcare worker badge is illuminated.  If the badge is not illuminated when it comes into the proximity of the bed monitor, the badge vibrates a reminder to the healthcare worker to wash their hands. The illuminated green LED light gives the patient "peace of mind," knowing that the healthcare worker’s hands have been washed.”

We appear to still be on the long path of learning the art of collaboration and still of the opinion that laws will be the fix.  This is one of the reasons we need the “smart” people in high places that can see beyond just creating laws and embrace more of an encompassing solution.  If the hospitals can’t afford the solution to washing hands, how are they going to afford the end result, and we all lose at that point with 43% of the hospitals in the US operating in the red.  UCI certainly got the hint with their new facility with sinks located everywhere and the monitoring system added on would one big plus to enforce for both clinician and patient safety.  BD

After 15-year-old Nile Moss died at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County-Mission from a drug-resistant staph infection, his mother dedicated herself to changing the rules for how hospitals screen for the infection.

Nile’s Law was passed in California in 2008, and now Carole Moss is in Washington to show her support for recently proposed national legislation that would require hospitals to screen patients entering high risk units, take additional precautions to prevent the spread of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and report institutional infection rates.

Death of O.C. teen may help inspire national law - Total Buzz - OCRegister.com

Related Reading:

First it was the Ties and now go the White Coats for Doctors

Real Time Monitoring of When you Washed your Hands – Don’t Touch that Patient Until You Have Washed Your Hands

Economic woes cause hospitals to skimp on infection prevention – Funds and Money Required

Hand Washing Secret Shoppers Patrol the Hospital To Help Prevent Never Never Events

Germ-Zapping Keyboard – for use in Hospitals to help prevent the spread of MRSA, C Diff, and other bacterial infections

Stuffing Paper Hospital Gowns in Gloves helping reduce the spread of MRSA

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