FAQ
General Questions
1) How does the System work?
The HyGreen™ system consists of a handwash sensing device mounted next to each gel or soap dispenser, a bed monitor at every patient bed, and a badge worn by each healthcare worker. When the employee applies gel or soap to their hands, they place their hand under the handwash sensing device which confirms that the hand has soap or gel on it while instantly identifying the employee. Simultaneously, a green LED light on the employee badge illuminates verifying to the healthcare worker and the patient that a hand wash event has occurred. Also, the date, time and location of the handwash event are wirelessly transmitted to the central server. When the employee comes within the field of the proximity sensing bed monitor, the system wirelessly verifies that the healthcare worker badge is illuminated. If the badge is not illuminated when it comes into the proximity of the bed monitor, the badge vibrates a reminder to the healthcare worker to wash their hands.
2) How easy is the System to use?
It’s as easy as washing your hands. The HyGreen™ System takes no more time than the normal handwash process. Simply passing a hand with gel or soap on it under the sensor is all that is needed.
3) Is the System accurate?
Xhale has designed a robust system that accurately and elegantly records handwashing events and the handwash status of interactions between healthcare workers and patients.
4) Will this work with every type of handwash product?
The System works with alcohol based handwash products – either waterless gels or soaps – including all industry top-sellers such as Steris, Purell, etc.
5) What will we have to do differently at our hospital?
Very little will change operationally. The existing hand wash stations will stay in their current locations. Each time a hospital worker applies soap or gel to their hands, they will pass their hands under the small handwash sensor located beside the gel/soap dispenser. The major difference is that workers will receive reminders, when they enter the area of the bed monitor zone, to wash their hands. The reminder received will be in the form of three brief vibrations that the worker will feel. The hospital will have access to reports that show who is washing their hands when, where, as well as interactions between patients and healthcare workers and the status of their badge at the time of the interaction.
6) What is the "badge"? Will it replace the hospital's ID badge? Will the badge's green light be apparent and obvious to patients?
The system's "badge" does not replace the current hospital ID badge. It is an electronic ID-badge, referred to as a "shield", that holds and displays the hospital’s existing ID badge. The system badge attaches to a lanyard or clips to a pocket and contains a green LED that is highly visible to patients when illuminated. The health care worker will have the ability to attach their hospital ID to the HyGreen™ badge if so desired.
7) How will the patient know what the green light means?
Hospitals may provide information to patients upon admission. Xhale will provide hospitals with materials that can be incorporated into marketing and patient information literature. Hospitals can choose the level they wish to integrate the system into their marketing and patient safety campaign.
8) Will your system actually show when a health care worker comes near a patient’s bed and whether or not they have washed their hands?
Yes – the system can provide reports, by bed, worker, date and/or area, on which healthcare workers interacted with which patient locations, and the status of their badges (green or “off”) when the interaction occurred.
9) How would HyGreen™ system fit in with the hand hygiene compliance program we use?
Because HyGreen™ relies on the CDC guidelines for hand hygiene, the system should fit in with any hospital hand washing compliance program. However, with the HyGreen™ system there is no longer a need to observe and monitor handwash compliance. HyGreen™ automatically records and reports the handwashing activities of all badge wearing healthcare workers.
10) What if the HCW uses gloves?
The CDC recommends that a HCW change their gloves in between patient care activities. After de-gloving the HCW is required to wash their hands before moving on to the next patient activity. And when they enter a new room, even if they are going to glove, they should wash before they glove.
11) How does the system identify me when it records the hand wash event?
The hand wash sensing device recognizes the badge ID. During the transaction the information associated with the badge ID is sent to the database and stored. All data available to be reported from the database will be mapped back to the badge ID.
12) How does the system work when a patient is transported of the unit for a procedure?
The proximity sensing bed monitor will be turned off while the patient is off the unit. If the area where the patient is transported is protected by HyGreen™ the hand wash protocols will remain the same. If the area is not protected then no hand wash events will be recorded for that patient until the patient returns to their assigned bed where the bed beacon will be re-activated.
13) What are family members instructed to do when they visit the patient?
Organizations may choose to issue temporary ID badges to patient visitors. Family members should follow the hospital guidelines for washing hands in a patient care area including the easy HyGreen™ steps.
14) Will the HyGreen™ system work in isolation rooms?
Sensing units will be installed in isolation rooms using the same protocol of regular rooms. The hand washing will occur outside the isolation room doors.
15) Will I be required to wash my hands using the HyGreen™ system between patients?
National guidelines that are published instruct that hands need to be washed between every patient contact whether this is routine procedures and care for a single patient or two patients. The HyGreen™ application can verify a successful hand wash event between these patient interactions.
Purchasing
16) Would the HyGreen™ team be willing to assist our organization in developing a Business Case or proof of concept for purchasing the product?
Yes. The HyGreen™ team has in depth documentation of the benefits that can be realized from installing the system. An ROI calculator is available on the website and Patient safety statistics will be provided on request.
17) What’s my return on investment?
The HyGreen™ system creates a simple, clear incentive to practice hand hygiene and it provides reports on hand wash events. The hospital can use the reports to increase the efficacy of staff training, and because the reports track HCW interactions with patients, the source and vector of HAIs can be monitored.
18) Where are you in terms of having commercially available devices on the market?
Fourth quarter 2009.
Reporting
19) What kind of reports can you produce?
We can produce a variety of reports: daily, weekly, monthly and custom cumulative reports for every health care worker using the system. These reports can be filtered and sorted in a variety of ways including by healthcare worker, bed monitor, unit , floor, etc. We also produce log reports showing all the hand washing and patient interaction events.
20) What happens if there are multiple people at the sink when I am trying to wash my hands? Is accurate data recorded?
The Monitor will record the ID Badge that is the closest to the Monitor. Because the measurement is taking place while a hand is under the Monitor, in nearly all cases the person closest to the Monitor will be the person with their hand under the device and the correct ID badge LED will be illuminated. In the event that another person is closer to the Monitor, the health care worker will need to request that the other person step away from the Monitor so the correct badge may be identified.
21) How will implementing the HyGreen™ solution assist with meeting deadlines posted by JCAHCO for implementation of hand hygiene patient safety goals by 2010?
“Hand hygiene, contact precautions, as well as cleaning and disinfecting [patient] care equipment and the [patient]’s environment are essential strategies for preventing the spread of health care–associated infections. Hand hygiene is addressed in NPSG.07.01.01.” The HyGreen™ system will record all hand wash events and remind health care workers to wash. It will produce reports so hospital administrators can counsel health care workers who are not washing their hands and it provides documentation of hand wash events for compliance reporting.
Hardware and Software
22) Will it interfere with our existing electronics?
No. The system uses low energy acoustic and infra-red receivers and transmitters in the badge. Network communication between bed monitors and hand wash sensors is accomplished using low power 2.4 Ghz “Zigbee” transceivers that are widely used in hospitals and have been proven to coexist well with other wireless systems (e.g., WiFi 802.11 protocols) as well as medical electronic devices.
23) Can the proximity of the bed monitor be adjusted?
Yes, our technicians can adjust the operating range of the Bed Monitor at the time of installation but it is not user adjustable.
24) What are your wiring requirements?
All of the subsystems in the HyGreen™ systems are battery powered and communicate wirelessly. Thus, wiring is not required. But, if requested, we can install units that are powered from available 120VAC power mains.
25) Is the system Active Directory Compliant?
The application is run on a standalone webserver running IIS 7. IIS7 is Active Directory compliant.
26) What is the base platform?
The base platform for the system is the web server/ web browser platform. The web server currently is IIS 7. Any compliant browser can be used to access the reporting system. No add-ons, ActiveX modules, or other non- standard setups are required
27) How is system installed?
The easy to remove dovetail back plate acts as a battery cover for ease of use unit install and battery replacement applications. Additional styles of back plates will be designed to fit most install formats and wall designs while using the standard device package.
28) What is the weight of the badge holder?
2.4 oz
29) Will same badge be able to communicate in different hospitals? Will badge s/n’s be specific to a hospital system?
No. Health care workers that work at different hospitals will use the badge and holder assigned to them by that hospital.
Maintenance
30) How long does the battery on the badge holder work?
The rechargeable battery can power the badge for at least 100 hours before recharging is required.
31) How long does the battery on the bed monitor work?
The rechargeable battery in the bed monitor can power the device for at least 2 months before needing to be recharged. Alternatively, the bed monitor can be powered from available 120VAC power mains.
32) How long does the battery on the hand wash device work?
The rechargeable battery in the hand wash device can power the device for at least 2 months before needing to be recharged. Alternatively, the hand wash sensor can be powered from available 120VAC power mains.
33) Will the sensors wear out?
Yes. The chemical sensor in the Handwash Sensor is the most fragile element in the system and may require replacement after 3 years of use.
34) Will we get a low battery indication?
If the battery voltage drops below a preset threshold there will be a visual indication of the low-battery condition by means of a flashing yellow LED. In addition, the low battery condition will be reported over the wireless network to provide an alert to hospital engineering staff that battery service is required.