Rumor (and statistics) has it that doctors often forget to wash their hands before entering a patient’s room, something that should be mandatory in any health institution. Biovigil is a badge that reminds them of this detail, just in case it slips their mind.
By no means am I trying to accuse doctors and nurses of negligence. I know how stressful of an environment a hospital can be, and even though most of them are accustomed to this way of life ever since med school, it is not impossible for them to forget such small things as washing their hands.
Brent Nibarger, chief client officer at Biovigil Hygiene Technologies, points out that “the problem is invisible. The bacteria and things that get transported, you can’t see it. We often say if the bugs glowed orange or green or yellow you could solve this more powerfully.”
He also added that “A five-year-old can understand it, and a 90-year-old patient understands it. Everyone understands traffic light simplicity. Once you wear this on your chest and have your first patient interaction it instantly changes the accountability and behavior, because no one is going to be running around with a red badge, except in rare circumstances.”
Even though wall-mounted solutions for this problem already exist, Nibarger explained that “if you slow down the natural work flow pattern, when you’re doing this 140 times per shift, users will have a very hard time adopting a solution.”
As Niberger knows, “If you’re not solving the problem at the point of care, and not communicating that the problem is being solved to patients, family members, coworkers in a tangible way, you’re not going to see the impact you’re expecting.”
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