OhioHealth and IBM Scientists Join Forces to Prevent Infections in Hospitals
Wireless technology and real-time Big Data analytics boost hand hygiene 20%
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y. & COLUMBUS, OH. – 10 Jan 2014: OhioHealth andIBM today announced a collaboration to aid in the prevention of infections using a first-of-a-kind network of wireless sensors and real-time Big Data analytics that measure hand-washing practices. OhioHealth will use the technology to provide hospital administrators with real-time data that can be used to reduce healthcare associated infections (HAIs) like methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile, which affect 1 in every 20 patients in U.S. healthcare facilities.
Already, the pilot project in Columbus has achieved more than 90 percent compliance with hand-washing standards – a 20 percent jump over its previous practices and well above the 50 percent national compliance level. (more…)