Hand hygiene compliance system

Abstract

A system and method for performing hand hygiene compliance. The method includes receiving a notification that an individual has entered a physical location. The notification is received by a node in a wireless mesh network that includes a plurality of nodes corresponding to objects in the physical location. A hand hygiene protocol is identified for the individual. It is determined that the individual has not followed the hand hygiene protocol. The determining is performed by software executing on the nodes in the wireless mesh network and responsive to a previous and a current location of the individual relative to the objects in the physical location. The individual is notified in response to determining that the individual has not followed the hand hygiene protocol.

1 . A computer implemented method for monitoring the performance of hand hygiene compliance, the method comprising:
 identifying, via a node in a wireless mesh network, that an individual has entered a physical location, the wireless mesh network comprising a plurality of nodes corresponding to objects in the physical location;   identifying a hand hygiene protocol for the individual;   determining that the individual has not followed the hand hygiene protocol; and   in response to determining that the individual has not followed the hand hygiene protocol, generating a notification indicative thereof and viewable by the individual,   wherein the notification is generated at least in part based upon one or more predefined preferences, the one or more predefined preferences being associated with at least one of the individual or one or more parameters dependent upon the physical location.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the notification is further generated based at least in part on a patient status. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the notifying includes one or more of an audio, visual, and haptic alert. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the selection of the one or more of the audio, visual, and haptic alert is based at least in part on the one or more predefined preferences. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting data to a central monitoring location in response to determining that the individual has not followed the hand hygiene protocol. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting data to a central monitoring location in response to detecting activity associated with the hand hygiene protocol. 
     
     
         7 . A computer implemented method for monitoring the performance of hand hygiene compliance, the method comprising:
 identifying, via a node in a wireless mesh network, that an individual has entered a physical location, the wireless mesh network comprising a plurality of nodes corresponding to objects in the physical location;   identifying a hand hygiene protocol for the individual, wherein the identified hand hygiene protocol is identified at least in part by one or more nodes in the wireless mesh network and in the vicinity of the individual and is based at least in part on a patient treatment that could be provided by the individual in the physical location;   determining that the individual has not followed the hand hygiene protocol; and   notifying the individual in response to determining that the individual has not followed the hand hygiene protocol.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the notification is further generated based at least in part on at least one of a status associated with a patient or characteristics of the physical location. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the notifying includes one or more of an audio, visual, and haptic alert. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the selection of the one or more of the audio, visual, and haptic alert is based at least in part on at least one of a status associated with a patient or characteristics of the physical location. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising transmitting data to a central monitoring location in response to determining that the individual has not followed the hand hygiene protocol. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising transmitting data to a central monitoring location in response to detecting activity associated with the hand hygiene protocol. 
     
     
         13 . A computer implemented method for monitoring the performance of hand hygiene compliance, the method comprising:
 identifying, via a node in a wireless mesh network, that an individual has entered a physical location, the wireless mesh network comprising a plurality of nodes corresponding to objects in the physical location;   identifying a hand hygiene protocol for the individual, wherein the identified hand hygiene protocol is identified at least in part by one or more nodes in the wireless mesh network and in the vicinity of the individual and is based at least in part on a status associated with a patient in the vicinity of the individual;   determining that the individual has not followed the hand hygiene protocol; and   notifying the individual in response to determining that the individual has not followed the hand hygiene protocol.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the notification is further generated based at least in part on characteristics of the physical location. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the notifying includes one or more of an audio, visual, and haptic alert. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the selection of the one or more of the audio, visual, and haptic alert is based at least in part on at least one of the status associated with the patient or characteristics of the physical location. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising transmitting data to a central monitoring location in response to determining that the individual has not followed the hand hygiene protocol. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising transmitting data to a central monitoring location in response to detecting activity associated with the hand hygiene protocol.