Hospitals seek high-tech help for hand hygiene.

The Biovigil badge system is one of great innovation. The new emerging technology is proving positive results in improving infection control in healthcare. Here is an excerpt from the following article regarding the badge operation:

Nurses using the Biovigil system at St. Mary’s near St. Louis wear a badge with changeable colored lights. A doorway sensor identifies when the nurse enters a patient’s room, and the badge color changes to yellow.The nurse washes his or her hands and places them close to the badge. A sensor in the badge detects chemical vapors from the alcohol-based solution. If hands are clean, the badge illuminates a bright green hand symbol.If the nurse fails to sanitize, the badge stays yellow and chirps every 10 seconds for 40 seconds, then flashes red. Once the flashing red starts, the nurse has another 30 seconds to wash up, otherwise the badge turns solid red, denoting non-compliance. Either way, each instance is tracked by a computer. The hospital can track each individual’s compliance.

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