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Hand hygiene sustainability - Results from the Victorian Quality Council Hand Hygiene Sustainability Forum

Department of Human Services Statement on hand washing during a gastrointestinal disease outbreak

"It's in your hands" poster and postcard

Hand Hygiene project

Reducing healthcare acquired infections (HCAI) is a high priority in improving the safety and quality of healthcare. It has been estimated that in Australia there may be as many as 150,000 HCAI, contributing to 7,000 deaths each year, many of which could be prevented through implementing appropriate infection control practices.

HCAI have a significant impact on individuals, their carers and the health system’s ability to care for patients. For patients, HCAI can result in a prolonged hospital stay1.

From a financial perspective, it has been stated that the average cost per patient with an MRSA bacteraemia is $22,400 and that it may cost up to $173,000 to respond to a single outbreak of VRE in a hospital2.

The Victorian Quality Council (VQC) Hand Hygiene Project is designed to provide common training, practical resources and promote culture change. Sustainability rests in existing systems and connections between infection control and quality programs.

1 Australian Infection Control Association Expert Working Group (April, 2001) National Surveillance of Healthcare Associated Infection in Australia. A Report to the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care

2 Australian Infection Control Association Expert Working Group (April, 2001)

Background

In May 2004 the VQC Hand Hygiene pilot project commenced with funding allocated to Austin Health, as coordinating centre, and six pilot health services to September 2005. The VQC has further approved funding to support the roll out of the Hand Hygiene project across Victorian health services. The program will run from February 2006 to June 2007 in two stages. The aim is to develop a practical model for sustained improvement in hand hygiene practices for Victorian health services in order to reduce the risk of HCAI.

The program will involve the development of regional networks to support Infection Control teams and quality managers in the implementation of local projects to reduce HCAI in their hospitals.

The VQC will provide training and support to participating hospital teams, in hand hygiene compliance auditing procedures, and developing local approaches to support sustained improvements in hand hygiene practices.

This approach incorporates the:

• Introduction of an alcohol-chlorhexidine hand hygiene product

• Education of healthcare workers regarding hand hygiene practices
• Ongoing promotion of hand hygiene practices via a range of communication and promotional tools;
• Active participation and feedback at both individual and organisation levels;
• Involvement of institutional leaders; and
• Collection and feedback of three outcome indicators: -
• Hand Hygiene product usage in litres/1000 bed days/month;
• Rates of nosocomial infection; and
• Rates of hand hygiene compliance

Related pages

Hand Hygiene project - steering group members

Hand Hygiene project – health service resources:

Resource Manual and Education Toolkit
Product Selection
Project Presentations
Education and Promotion
Hand hygiene sustainability - Results from the Victorian Quality Council Hand Hygiene Sustainability Forum
Hand Hygiene Australia Resources

For further information please contact VQC Management Group on (61 3) 9096 1380 or email vqc.handhygiene@dhs.vic.gov.au