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Cost Implications of Successful Hand Hygiene Promotion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Didier Pittet*
Affiliation:
Infection Control Program, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
Hugo Sax
Affiliation:
Infection Control Program, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
Stéphane Hugonnet
Affiliation:
Infection Control Program, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
Stephan Harbarth
Affiliation:
Infection Control Program, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
*
Infection Control Program, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Geneva Hospitals, 24, rue Micheli-du-Crest, 1211 Geneva, 14 -Switzerland

Abstract

We evaluated the costs associated with a sustained and successful campaign for hand hygiene promotion that emphasized alcohol-based handrubs. The total cost of the hand hygiene promotion corresponded to less than 1% of the costs associated with nosocomial infections. Successful hand hygiene promotion is probably cost-saving.

Type
Concise Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2004

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