hand hygiene
hand hygiene
By Robert P . Lee
Prevention as Our First Line of Defense With Hand Hygiene as a Top Priority
With 99,000 deaths in the acute-care space annually and 400,000 deaths in non-acute space according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ), one would think that with all the interventions employed during the COVID-19 pandemic that we might see the needle move on these metrics .
We are under assault each day as organisms continue to evolve and adapt ; some friendly and some not so friendly ( pathogenic ). We have become such a pill-focused society that much of our focus has been on pharmaceuticals and vaccines . So , why are our priorities reversed ? Granted , prevention is not sexy , easy , and as profitable as a new drug ( usually + 95 percent margins ), but prevention is unique in that it is universal to all microorganisms , non-specific , broad in scope , effective against all microbes ( viral or bacterial ), no side effects , and no profit margins or incentives except patient and staff safety .
One of the major reasons why prevention takes a back seat to pills is that it is a complicated , collaborative process . In speaking with infection preventionists they say , “ It ’ s like herding cats .” I like
CLICK HERE to view Prevention graphic to make the comparison of the job of infection prevention , particularly prevention , to going to the moon and to that famous quotation : “ We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things , not because they are easy , but because they are hard .” ( JFK Library . org )
So , how do we prioritize prevention as the first line of defense and our top priority ?
➊ Understand and align goals with the organization a . If patient and staff safety is a top priority , you will need to align and convince the powers that “ prevention is the first line of defense ”
➋ Research the tools / solutions that will help you accomplish your mission and accommodate your organization ’ s needs a . Understand tools you will need and what you want to measure b . This will require researching the commercial landscape of vendors and providers c . Put together a short list of your choices d . Remember not all technologies , platforms , etc . are created equal
➌ Do your homework : ROI , performance indicators ( KPIs ), metrics a . Preparing a strategy , both financial and operational , with measureable and achievable metrics . b . You need to measure what you plan to manage .
➍ Value proposition : Roadmap of how you going to get there a . Gather all your data , documentation , studies , etc . and organize into your narrative b . Make sure you support with current “ evidenced based ” studies for many studies lack credibility due to age . c . Prepare your presentation / pitch deck
➎ Pick your team of collaborators ; what is in it for them ? a . You want to surround yourself with Teammates that are passionate about your mission b . What ’ s in it for each one ? Is there both a personal and Team gain ? c . Make sure you surround yourself with good communicators that can articulate the goals and process .
➏ Seek an administrative sponsor / coach a . Find your executive sponsor . b . Generally , the chief quality officer , chief nursing officer , chief financial officer , chief information officer , etc .
If you have done all the above , you are now ready to execute on your plan . You will want to seek the help of your healthcare value analysis department or supply chain team to assist you in the RFP / bid / procurement process .
We will not cover the implementation portion here , for the intent of this article was to help you to prioritize prevention as the first line of defense in your infection prevention strategy . If you have any questions or needs , you can always reach out to me directly at : medicaldatamanagement @ gmail . com .
Robert Lee , BA , the CEO and founder of MD-Medical Data Quality & Safety Advisors , LLC , is the senior biologist and performance improvement consultant . MD-MDQSA is the home of The IPEX - The Infection Prevention Exchange , a digital collaboration between selected evidence-based solutions that use big data , technology , and AI to reduce risk of HAIs . www . healthcarehygienemagazine . com • october 2023
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