Engaging Patients as Observers Represents Low-Cost, Accurate Way to Monitor and Improve Hand Hygiene in Outpatient Settings

AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Engaging Patients as Observers Represents Low-Cost, Accurate Way to Monitor and Improve Hand Hygiene in Outpatient Settings

The program led to modest improvements in already high rates of adherence to appropriate hand hygiene procedures and to more departments meeting the 90-percent adherence goal; using patients as observers also proved to be a low-cost, accurate means of monitoring hand hygiene (a requirement for any organization accredited by The Joint Commission).