Bluetooth ID badge handwashing monitor proposed

A team of academics, clinicians and computer scientists have developed a system that uses a Bluetooth-based wearable ID tag to monitor and log whether staff and vistors on an intensive care ward have washed their hands.

The as-yet unnamed system was developed by clinicians at the University of Manchester and computer scientists at the University of Hull. The creators are currently looking for industry backing to create a fully functional prototype.

Dr Paul Dark, clinical lecturer in intensive care medicine at Manchester Medical School and head of the team that developed the ID tags, said: "Obviously a major concern for hospital units of all kinds is the spread of hospital-acquired infections, and there has been a concerted drive towards the adoption of routine hand-washing by staff to help combat them."

Dr Dark told E-Health Insider that the system was an update of an existing ‘wired’ system already running in his intensive care unit at Hope Hospital, part of Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust. "The principle of the embedded Bluetooth system is an extension to a previous idea that we have built within our intensive care unit. We do have an embedded system to check hand washing activities, recording how often that is carried out."

The device delivers a warning if staff and relatives enter directly into patient areas without washing their hands within a certain amount of time. It also logs the times when the users wash their hands.

The main benefit of having a wireless system, said Dr Dark, is in Hope Hospital’s case space. Hope Hospital’s intensive care unit has only 16 beds, but 120 nursing staff working 24 hours a day, and there is a limited surface area available for computer equipment. "Any system that records hand washing activity is going to be based around sink areas and soap dispensers."

This kind of monitoring system was better for staff and for hygiene, Dr Dark explained, and less ‘Big Brother’; some Japanese intensive care units have cameras monitoring how often staff wash their hands. "We felt that’s rather intrusive," he said.

Having people coming in occasionally to check handwashing only worked in the short term, said Dr Dark, as people would be attentive while they are being watched but could lapse later on.

Personal accountability for hygiene is the key, he said. "The biggest offenders in hospitals are doctors and nurses in terms of following hygiene protocols. Medical staff don’t perform as well as other healthcare professionals. I am a doctor and I represent clinicans, and we take this seriously."

As every time a staff member washes their hands would be logged, it encourages personal accountability rather than a passive attitude, which one might have with a surveillance camera. "Health and safety accountability is a two way thing," said Dr Dark.

The Bluetooth monitoring system received second prize in last month’s Microsoft Imagine Cup, an international competition where teams are invited to develop innovative software systems based on a Microsoft framework. The theme of this year’s competition is "Imagine a world where technology enables us to live healthier lives."

Dr Dark’s team also won first prize for its plan on providing a multimedia patient diary for those in intensive care, which could be contributed to by family, friends and hospital staff. Microsoft UK will work with the team to develop a working prototype and the system will be entered into this summer’s final in Delhi.

Full details of how the system will work have been lodged with the NHS North West Innovation hub, TrustTECH. Any potential partners interested in learning more about the Bluetooth handwashing system should contact Philippa Bevan at the organisation. Details are available at http://www.trustech.org.uk/.