The importance of hand hygiene has always been a central theme in the prevention of infections. But never as in this period has it proved to be a fundamental practice to contain the spread of diseases. This is why today, May 5th, 2023, Santagostino Hospital announces the Adoption of Soapy’s tech.
Even today, in critical contexts such as healthcare facilities, the application of the hand washing protocol is not certified. Furthermore, not everyone respects the steps set by the WHO for this fundamental operation. This results in many hand-borne infections that remain at alarming levels.
In Italy, in 2019, about 5% of hospitalized patients contracted a hospital infection. Causing more fatalities than road accidents (over 7,800 deaths against 3,419 road fatalities). Acquiring a healthcare-associated infection while in hospital leads to longer hospital stays, increasing costs, and loss of life.
“Hand hygiene is a topic of vital importance for the prevention of infections and the spread of contagious diseases.” Luca Foresti, the CEO of Santagostino.
Every year, during “World Hand Hygiene Day” (May 5th), which is promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), we discuss this in more detail. All to raise awareness of the importance of hand washing to prevent infections and the spread of contagious diseases.
“But the theme should remain in the spotlight throughout the year, especially in the healthcare world”, explains Luca Foresti, “pushing the accelerator of technologies that help keep this phenomenon under control. We, in our small way, decided to do it some time ago, adopting the Soapy device in an experimental way in Italy”.
About Soapy’s technology
Soapy is a small stainless steel sink that can utilize (1) soap and water and manages wastewater discharge or (2) alcohol-based liquids or gels for hand sanitization. The technology was designed and launched back in 2018 in Israel. Designed for use by staff in healthcare settings.
When washing hands, the system follows each stage of good handwashing codified by WHO, including a series of movements to remove contamination from the palms, back of the hand, fingernails, and hollows between the fingers. The system can analyze the user’s movements and body temperature thanks to a network of sensors. Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms finally give a synthetic percentage judgment on whether handwashing is compliant. In the end, a positive or negative result is shown with a gamification visual.
“Hand hygiene is a topic of vital importance for the prevention of infections and the spread of contagious diseases,” says Foresti. “As a healthcare facility, we want to set a good example. After a test phase at the Cimiano site, today, Soapy’s technology is also installed in the Susa and Cenisio sites. Censio sire includes a surgical room. We have already noticed an increase in the frequency and accuracy of hand washing by healthcare personnel. The effectiveness of this type of technology is clear”.
Read more why Santagostino Hospital announces the Adoption of Soapy’s tech on our blog.
