The Leapfrog Group released its 2024 Hand Hygiene Report.
The nonprofit organization began reporting on hand hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, the percentage of hospitals meeting the organization’s standards jumped from 11% to 74% by 2023, according to a press release. “The report reveals a 78% rise in hospitals holding leadership directly accountable for hand hygiene through performance reviews or compensation adjustments, suggesting that hand hygiene—and the safety of patients—is increasingly a priority among hospitals,” The Leapfrog Group’s release says.
The report also shows that since 2020, the 4.7% of hospitals adopting hand hygiene monitoring systems has increased to 10%.
Leapfrog has their own Hand Hygiene Standard that evaluates hospitals across the following areas:
- “Monitoring: Checking if hand washing is done correctly and often enough.
- Feedback: Using data to see how well hand hygiene practices are followed and drive improvements.
- Training and Education: Teaching the right way to wash hands through physical demonstration.
- Infrastructure: Making sure there are enough hand sanitizer dispensers and washing stations.
- Culture: Establishing a strong focus on hand hygiene at every organizational level.”
