MUNDELEIN, Ill., Dec. 8, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In recognition of National Hand Washing Awareness Week, Medline Industries, Inc., today announced a new interactive hand hygiene training program in an effort to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections by improving hand hygiene compliance among healthcare professionals. Proper hand hygiene is the No. 1 defense against healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), now estimated at more than 1.7 million annually.
1 It is estimated that hand washing alone could prevent 20,000 patient deaths per year.
2 As simple as it sounds, driving proper hand washing compliance is extremely difficult. In fact, a study from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that six out of 10 health care workers are not washing effectively.
3 Another recent study in the December issue of the American Journal of Infection Control showed that two out of three medical students did not know when to wash their hands.
4 Introduced during National Hand Washing Awareness Week (December 4-10), Medline's three-part hand hygiene program is exclusively available on the company's Web-based e-learning platform, MedlineUniversity(www.medlineuniversity.com), which offers free online courses for healthcare practitioners.
"Hands are the No. 1 means of transmitting pathogens to other people. We have to break this chain of transmission and if hand washing is not done properly or when indicated, then we may have a false sense of security about our infection prevention efforts," said Marc Lessem, vice president of Medline's skin care division. "As simple as is sounds, proper hand washing is not easy, and driving compliance is even more difficult, which is why we developed this innovative program to reinforce proper techniques and best practices for effective hand hygiene. Ultimately, we are working to help build a culture of patient and staff safety in healthcare facilities."
For more information on Medline's new hand hygiene education program, go to www.medlineuniversity.com.
About Medline's Hand Hygiene Compliance Program and Skin Care Products
Medline's Hand Hygiene Compliance Program includes an intensive education module developed by an expert panel of infection control professionals. This program is designed to provide health care workers with the tools, education and awareness of proper hand hygiene to help increase compliance rates and decrease the spread of infections. Coupled with the education module are Medline's world class hand hygiene and skin care products. These include:
Sterillium® Comfort Gel
Sterillium Comfort Gel is a scientifically tested alcohol-based hand gel that is proven to increase skin hydration by 14 percent.5 The Sterillium brand name is recognized worldwide and Sterillium Comfort Gel is used in leading healthcare facilities throughout theUnited States.
Aloetouch® Exam Gloves
Exclusive, all-natural aloe vera gel coating soothes and moisturizes the skin, leaving it feeling soft and smooth. Trusted by millions of healthcare workers, Aloetouch exam gloves protect hands like no other!
Remedy® Skin Repair Cream
Remedy Skin Repair Cream uses water molecules to not only moisturize the skin but also deliver the nutrients of Olivamine® (key ingredients: amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, MSM) to the cells.
About Medline
As the nation's largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products, Medline manufactures and distributes more than 125,000 products to hospitals, extended care facilities, surgery centers, physician offices, home care dealers, agencies and major retail outlets. Recently named one of the "100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare," Medline is headquartered in Mundelein, Ill.and has more than 1,100 dedicated sales representatives nationwide to support its broad product line, clinical programs and cost management services. For more information, visit www.medline.com.
1. Pyrek KM. Breaking the chain of infection and preventing cross-contamination. Infection Control Today. Posted April 29, 2009. Available at http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/chain-of-infection-cross-contamination.html.
2. Berens M. Tribune Investigation: Unhealthy Hospitals. Chicago Tribune. July 21, 2002.
3. Boyce JM, Pittet D. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guideline for hand hygiene in health-care settings. Recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSAHand Hygiene Task Force. MMWR. 2002; 51:1-45.
4. "Beliefs about hand hygiene: A survey in medical students in their first clinical year." American Journal of Infection Control, Volume 39, Issue 10 (December 2011).
5 Kampf G, Muscatiello M, Segger D (2009). Dermal tolerance and effect on skin hydration of an improved ethanol-based hand gel. International Journal of Infection Control 5: in press.
Media Contact:
John Marks, (847) 643-3309
jmarks@medline.com
Ann Fahey, (847) 643-3011
afahey@medline.com
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