from Guest JF, Keating T, Gould D, Wigglesworth N 2019
published in BMJ Open; 9: e029971
DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029971

Modelling the costs and consequences of reducing healthcare-associated infections by improving hand hygiene in an average hospital in England.

Reducing HAI incidence by 5-25% in one hospital could avoid 184-921 infections per year.

This modelling study was created to calculate the potential clinical and economic impact of reducing the incidence of HAIs by improving hand hygiene compliance with an electronic audit and feedback system among front-line HCPs in a hypothetical hospital in England. It was assumed that an electronic audit and feedback system could cause a reduction of 5-25% in HAI incidence. A reduction of at least 15% would likely afford the NHS a cost-effective intervention. Reducing HAI incidence by 5-25% in one hospital could avoid 184-921 infections per year, 6-31 deaths per year, and free up 7794 hospital bed days.

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