Investigation on the influence of the Internet of Things management system on the hand hygiene compliance in an emergency intensive care unit

SUMMARY Background Hand hygiene is a critical strategy for infection prevention in all healthcare settings. Automated electronic monitoring systems are expected to improve hand hygiene performance. Aim To investigate the impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) management system on hand hygiene compliance among medical staff in an emergency intensive care unit (EICU). Methods This retrospective observational study was conducted between July 1, 2017 and February 28, 2018 in a 19-bed EICU. The changes in hand hygiene compliance among 54 members of medical staff and the incidence of hospital infections were compared, counted, and analyzed before and after implementing the IoT management system in the EICU that was initiated on November 1, 2017. Findings After the application of the IoT management system, the hand hygiene compliance rates among the members of the medical staff before [29.5% (3347/11338) vs. 57.9% (4690/8094), P 0.05). Conclusion The IoT management system significantly improved hand hygiene compliance among medical staff, except cleaners, in the EICU of one provincial hospital; however, the rates of nosocomial infections did not significantly decrease. The quality of hand hygiene implementation needs to be improved.