The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing patient safety in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers, released its 2024 Hand Hygiene Report. Since Leapfrog began public reporting on hand hygiene in 2020, the percentage of hospitals meeting its rigorous standards has soared from 11% to 74% by 2023.

The report reveals a 78% rise in hospitals holding leadership directly accountable for hand hygiene through performance reviews or compensation adjustments, suggesting that hand hygiene—and the safety of patients—is increasingly a priority among hospitals. Improved hand hygiene is a vital intervention for reducing healthcare-associated infections and enhancing patient safety in hospitals.

“We believe transparency and high standards truly galvanize change, and we are proud to recognize the hospital leaders, clinicians, and teams that so successfully make that change,” said Leah Binder, The Leapfrog Group President and CEO.

The report also reveals a dramatic increase in the adoption of electronic hand hygiene monitoring systems. In 2020, only 4.7% of hospitals employed such technology; by last year, this figure had more than doubled to 10%. This growth demonstrates a broader trend toward integrating advanced tools to address the limitations of human observers.

Leapfrog’s Hand Hygiene Standard mandates that clinicians and staff adhere to hand hygiene best practices from a national Hand Hygiene Expert Panel and is adapted from the World Health Organization’s Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework.

Facility managers know that maintenance extends beyond the interior walls of a building. From roofs and facades to sidewalks and landscapes, exterior maintenance is a complex job.

Taking It Outside, a free webinar presented by Cleaning & Maintenance Management (CMM) on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. CT, will provide strategies for keeping up with routine exterior tasks, as well as tips on common repairs and best practices for preventative maintenance.

During this fast-paced, one-hour interactive session, you will learn:

• Safe window washing practices.
• Landscaping do’s and don’ts.
• Graffiti removal tips.
• Pressure washing protocols.
• Preventative maintenance strategies for roofs and exterior walls.
• Sidewalk, driveway, and parking lot upkeep.
• Best practices for other exterior maintenance tasks.

The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session, where you can ask the panelists your most challenging questions. The expert panel for this webinar includes:

• Kathleen Misovic (moderator), CMM Managing Editor
• Sarah Lampe, DMS Facility Services sales and account manager
• ​​​​​Marcelo Essabba, Hard Rock Stadium, senior director of housekeeping

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn exterior maintenance strategies from the experts. Register for CMM’s free webinar today.

This webinar is brought to you by Sunbelt Rentals.