Foodservice Foodservice operators in most cases are rightfully proud of their customer care. After all, they likely see their operation as a finely tuned network of policies and procedures focused on their customers. It is a human behavior to love what we create. This fosters further operational enthusiasm but can dangerously conceal important realities and […]
Handwashing: “Can’t Measure? Can’t Fix!”
Dr. Landon’s Prescription On Handwashing Dr. Emily Landon, pioneer in handwash monitoring, is the Executive Medical Director of Infection Control and Prevention at the 633 bed University of Chicago Medical Center. She is Board Certified with a specialty in Infectious Disease and has a passion for saving lives through enhanced hand hygiene. Emily’s original work […]
Handwashing for Life Olympics: Battle at Waterloo
Pathogens met their Waterloo as more than 400 culinary professionals staged a two-day pursuit of the latest advances in nutrition and food safety. The annual campaign is sponsored by Martin Brothers, a regional distributor focused on the culinary needs of hospitals and nursing homes. The location was the Waterloo Convention Center, celebrating the famous five […]
When 99.99% Isn’t Enough
Hand sanitizer is everywhere these days; there are modern looking spheres in hospitals and restaurants, they come in foam and gel and, especially at Bath and Body Works, they come in a plethora of scents. Everywhere you turn there is hand sanitizer, which is usually good for killing germs and bacteria on your hands, 99.99% […]
The Mark Twain Solution to Embarrassingly Low Handwashing Rates
Data-driven continuous improvement for restaurants and hospitals Hospitals have a great standard for handwashing as does FSMA. It’s Continuous Improvement. Mark Twain agrees, noting that “Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.” Healthcare Kitchens & The Joint Commission The Joint Commission, healthcare’s performance auditors, encourages a path of measured progress but results are often discouraging […]
Verifying Caregiver Handwashing In Behavioral Health & Memory Care
No wall dispensers. No problem. Care areas without wall-hung alcohol hand sanitizer dispensers often escape the rigors of many RTLS and standalone hand hygiene monitoring systems. BioVigil has developed a product whereby hand sanitizer can be carried in the pocket of a caregiver and hand hygiene performance and compliance will still be monitored. The caregiver […]
Wow! Auto-Remind Caregivers On C. Diff Handwashing
C. diff concerns led one hospital to a coaching system that automatically reminds the wearer of its badge to “wash” with the appropriate protocol. Moving from a general population room where alcohol hand sanitizer is the standard to a C. diff room can easily result in a caregiver’s temporary lapse of memory and the inappropriate […]
Understanding The Legal Principle of “Readily Available”
Malpractice handwashing is on the horizon This little-known “Readily Available” legal principle awakens Risk Management interest in electronically verified handwashing. Here Russel Nassof, founder of RiskNomics explains: Immersion into the topic of hand hygiene to reduce operational risk continues to fill industry meeting agendas. The suspicions of the past have now been confirmed by so […]
Norovirus in Healthcare
Don’t disregard a hand sanitizer that works Rubs are chastised for their ineffectiveness on norovirus yet research has identified one that proves the critics wrong. Formulation and process matters. Where the threat level of norovirus rises, caregivers may choose one or both these options. First, the formulation. Its trade name is Purell – 481. This […]
Engaging Culture to Change Handwashing Behavior
Behavior Verification Motivates Compliance The 5 steps of the HandsOn System are converted to action with a process that opens with collaborative Risk Assessment and closes with Decision Verification. Well-designed handwash data collection provides much more than a number. It is the living report card on the commitments made by the restaurant’s chain of command, […]
