Promoting hand hygiene in a chemotherapy day center: the role of a robot.

BACKGROUND

Hand hygiene is a critical component of infection prevention in healthcare settings. Innovative strategies are required to enhance hand hygiene practices among patients and healthcare workers (HCWs).

METHODS

This study was conducted at the Chemotherapy Day Center of Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. It comprised three phases: phase 1 involved observational audits of hand hygiene practices among patients and HCWs by infection control nurse (ICN); phase 2 included the installation of 53 pressure sensors on alcohol-based hand rub (AHR) bottles at designated sites to monitor usage; phase 3 introduced the robot named Temi Medic to promote hand hygiene through video broadcasts at strategic locations in the center. The mean counts of pressure sensor-equipped AHR per 100 attendances per day (hereafter referred to as the mean count) across phases 2 and 3 were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 2580 patient attended the center from April to September 2023. The ICN observed a significant increase in hand hygiene practices among patients at the entrance and reception area, rising from phase 1 (0.2%, 1/583) and phase 2 (0.5%, 3/656) to phase 3 (5.0%, 33/654) (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, the overall hand hygiene compliance among HCWs was 74.1% (1341/1810) throughout the study period. From phase 2 to phase 3, the mean counts of 7 AHR bottles designated for patient use (P1-P7) significantly increased (35 ± 17 vs. 64 ± 24, p < 0.001), as did the 33 AHR bottles shared by both patients and HCWs (207 ± 104 vs. 267 ± 113, p = 0.027). In contrast, there was no significant change in the mean count among the 13 AHR bottles designated for HCWs (H1-H13). The mean count of H1-H13 was significantly higher than that of P1-P7 throughout phases 2 and 3 (214 ± 93 vs. 49 ± 25, p < 0.001), indicating a 4.4-fold difference.

CONCLUSIONS

While HCWs maintained stable hand hygiene compliance, the introduction of the robot significantly improved hand hygiene practices among patients in the chemotherapy day center. This underscores the importance of integrating technology into routine practices to promote infection prevention and control in healthcare settings.