Welcome to Hand Hygiene Australia
The National Hand Hygiene Initiative
Health care associated infections (HCAI) are a major and growing issue in the quality and safety of health care, in both the hospital and community settings. HCAIs require urgent national consideration and action.
HCAIs have been nominated as a priority area by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC). Improved healthcare worker hand hygiene (HH) is the highest priority area to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections. Reliable indicators of HH compliance are essential, and mechanisms for the wider implementation and monitoring are required.
The purpose of the National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI) is to develop a national approach to improving HH and monitor its effectiveness. This initiative is based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) - World Alliance for Patient Safety campaign – “Clean Care is Safer Care” launched in 2005. On the 5th May 2009 WHO relaunched their campaign as "Save Lives: Clean Your Hands" .
A message from Prof. M. Lindsay Grayson, Director of Hand Hygiene Australia
Click here to view video (wmv format)
Hand Hygiene Compliance Application - The New Tool for Data Entry and Submission
HHA is currently in the process of rolling out the Hand Hygiene Compliance Application (HHCApp) across Australia.
The HHCApp is the new tool for HHC data entry and submission and will replace the HHA MS Access Database.
The HHCApp is available through the HHA website and will improve data management, enable easier data entry - any computer anytime, and will enable faster reporting; including quicker and easier access to National benchmarks.
A PDA application has also been developed for the HP iPAQ 212 Enterprise to enable direct upload of data, negating the need for manual data entry. If you are interested in the PDA application please contact the HHA representative in your state.
The HHCApp will need to be rolled out to every hospital in Australia - this is going to take time for the HHA National office and state representatives to achieve. Please bear with us throughout this potentially trying time.
For the next data reporting period (data submission deadline 6th August 2010) we ask that you no longer use the Access Database.
While you are awaiting setup on the HHCApp and are awaiting training on how to use it please start your HHC audit as usual, but delay data entry until you are able to use the online HHCApp.
We apologise in advance for any inconvienience this change over will cause.
Please contact your HHA representative with any concerns.