Hand Hygiene Compliance

How is the Hand Hygiene Compliance percentage calculated? 

The Hand Hygiene Compliance percentage is calculated as follows: 

# of times hand hygiene performed           x100
# of observed hand hygiene indications  

These percentages reflect:  

(i)        Hand hygiene before initial patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider type (e.g., nurses, allied health professionals, physicians, etc.) 

(ii)        Hand hygiene after patient/patient environment contact by combined health care provider type (e.g., nurses, allied health professionals, physicians, etc.)  

Frequently Asked Questions  

Why is hand hygiene so important?

Hand hygiene is an important practice for healthcare providers and has a significant impact on reducing the spread of infections in hospitals. Hand hygiene is a different way of thinking about safety and patient care and involves everyone in the hospital, including patients, visitors and health care providers. 

Effective hand hygiene practices in hospitals play a key role in improving patient and staffr safety, and in preventing the spread of health care-associated infections.  

What can patients do to help improve their own safety?

Hand hygiene involves everyone in the hospital, including patients. Hand cleaning is one of the best ways you and your healthcare team can prevent the spread of many infections. Patients and their visitors should also practice good hand hygiene before and after entering patient rooms.
 

What is Markham Stouffville Hospital doing to improve patient safety?
Markham Stouffville Hospital has implemented the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care’s Just Clean Your Hands hand hygiene initiative. We are working with employees, visitors and patients to minimize hospital-acquired infections through:

·         Hand cleaning initiatives
·         Environmental cleaning
·         Sterilization of equipment
·         Education
·         Additional isolation precautions 

If you have any questions, please contact:

Mary-Lou James
Director, Patient Relations
905-472-7095