Significant advancements in U.S. hospital hand hygiene practices

Sept. 26, 2024
A new report by The Leapfrog Group.

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.”

The Leapfrog Group release

Read the 2024 Hand Hygiene Report here

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