Sometimes it’s the simplest things that make the difference. Hands are the number one factor in germ transmission in hospitals so the obvious solution is to make sure everyone has clean hands. Unfortunately it isn’t quite as easy as that, which is why HARTMANN has developed the Hand Hygiene Evolution Concept.

The start point is the need to reduce Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs). According to the ECDC, 4.1 million patients in Europe alone contract an infection during their treatment every year. Proper hand hygiene alone won’t eliminate HAIs but it will certainly help reduce them considerably.

The tools already exist. In HARTMANN’s case the range of Sterillium® products has been providing effective and skin-friendly hand disinfection for over 50 years. But this isn’t just about having the right products: it is about making sure they are used. The Hand Hygiene Evolution Concept is designed to address the problem of HAIs by developing appropriate hand hygiene protocols and ensuring people comply with those protocols.

The World Health Organisation’s guidelines on hand hygiene include five key components which are all included in the Hand Hygiene Evolution. They are training, evaluation and feedback, reminders in the workplace, developing an institutional safety climate and, ultimately and perhaps most importantly, system change.

The Hand Hygiene Evolution itself comes in three phases: equipment, training and clinical practice. However, we must understand the problem before suggesting the solution. So HARTMANN starts by consulting with the hospital to analyse the status quo both across the hospital and in each individual ward.