The NHMRC funded the initiative at 50 hospitals across Australia, running the program form 2009 to 2012. The initiative outlined “five moments of hand-hygiene.” Here are five things to know about the program:
1. The initiative outlined five critical times for healthcare workers to wash their hands to avoid infections.
2. The program cost $2.9 million per year, but was cost-effective when compared to the number of prevented infections and potential cost for treatment.
3. The cost-effectiveness varied by state; in Queensland there was better value at $8,988 per life year gained, compared with Tasmania where the providers spent $250,000 and no cases were prevented.
4. The National Hand Hygiene Initiative aimed to deliver:
• Guidelines adopted from WHO’s “Clean Care is Safe Care” program
• National hand washing education strategy
• Develop measurements for auditing hand washing
• Develop mechanisms for electronic outcomes data collection
5. The Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Healthcare worked with Hand Hygiene Australia to implement the initiative, headed by Prof. Lindsay Grayson and Dr. Andrew Stewardson.
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