by How Hand Hygiene Monitoring Gets You in the Game
Well implemented technology-assisted monitoring of hand hygiene behaviors is a potential game changer in patient and resident safety but it does share one major weakness with its historic standard, secret shopper protocols. Neither is a stand-alone fix. They merely provide an assessment of current behaviors and evidence of the current patient-care culture.
Once you have reliable and credible numbers, your pair of jacks, you start playing the game and lowering the risks. The game starts in the C-suite and might come to an abrupt end if you are not well prepared.
Data is your ace. A documented internal test is best. That is the quickest way to break through the barriers of complacency and protectors of Team Status Quo. Short of that, bring an example of research you strongly believe in. Get buy-in for an assessment in the form of a trial and a preliminary budget for behavior changing programs where baseline numbers are converted into live-saving caregiver actions.
Before you add any intervention to improve compliance, take a baseline reading. This is the real scorecard on your observational secret shopper system.
If you want to look at improving your mystery shopper protocols, take a look at Baird: http://baird-group.com/media/medical%20ms%20page.pdf. There may be renewed use of secret shopper systems once you have some units, perhaps your highest risk locations, armed with an effective and efficient technology that suits the C-suite tolerance for risk.
You will never be playing this game with the strength of a straight flush. The risk of HAI deaths will never be zero but a base for continuous improvement is yours with a simple “yes” from the corner office.
