According to a recent survey, while 82% of health care workers are aware of their organization’s hand hygiene policy, only 39% follow it at all times.

Late last year, GP PRO conducted proprietary research with health care clinicians on the hand hygiene compliance rate within their organization. The study found that of those aware of their facility’s method for monitoring, 51% stated direct observation is the primary monitoring method. Other methods identified include self-reporting (15%), product usage (13%), patient satisfaction surveys (11%), and an electronic monitoring system (9%). According to GP PRO’s research, only 12% of clinicians believe in the accuracy of their facility’s monitoring method and 98% of respondents believe the process for collecting hand hygiene compliance data needs to be improved.

“The good news here is that clinicians know what’s expected of them when it comes to hand hygiene, and that’s likely in large part due to consistent communications by infection preventionists throughout the pandemic,” said Ronnie Phillips, Ph.D., GP PRO’s health care division senior director of innovation with. “Clinicians are in the know about their facility’s policy and, surely, that they work in an environment prone to cross contamination during a worldwide pandemic. So why is compliance holding steady at around 40%? That’s what we need to solve. What’s preventing clinicians from following best practices, and what can we do about it?”

About GP PRO
Based in Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific and its subsidiaries are among the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of bath tissue, paper towels and napkins, tableware, paper-based packaging, office papers, cellulose, specialty fibers, nonwoven fabrics, building products, and related chemicals. The company operates approximately 150 facilities and employs approximately 30,000 people directly and creates nearly 89,000 jobs indirectly. GP PRO, a division of Georgia-Pacific, manufactures and sells well-known brands like ActiveAire®, Angel Soft® Professional Series, Brawny®, Compact®, Dixie®, Dixie Ultra®, enMotion®, and Pacific Blue™. GP PRO products meet restroom, foodservice, and break room needs for office buildings, healthcare, foodservice, high-traffic, lodging, retail, and education facilities, plus a wide range of industrial and manufacturing facilities in North America. For more information, visit www.gppro.com.