UHD Reboots BioVigil Hand-Hygiene Campaign

By Office of Communications & Marketing | Sep 12, 2022

In 2018, SUNY Downstate partnered with BioVigil to reduce the volume of healthcare-acquired infections through innovative technology that reminds healthcare professionals to wash their hands before any patient interaction.

The technology was consistent across the board, reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) at University Hospital at Downstate, where BioVigil badges were regularly used. However, the onset of the pandemic has generated stricter rules for protecting patients and healthcare professionals.

Downstate recently rebooted the BioVigil public service campaign to increase awareness about the importance of proper hand hygiene to prevent spreading and transmitting infections. Hand hygiene is widely known to be the most critical intervention for preventing HAIs. According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated two million patients contract a hospital-related condition annually, and 99,000 die from the infection.

Healthcare workers particularly those in close contact with patients or who work close to patients are the primary users of the BioVigil badges. Doctors, nurses, aides, residents, fellows, students, technicians, and dietary and environmental staff are among the many healthcare workers who come in direct contact with patients.

The next set of campaign activities involves creating updated marketing collateral to move the campaign along, including the in-house production of a short video featuring employees using the BioVigil badge. Also, look for familiar faces soon as some of our favorite colleagues become ‘models’ of hand-hygiene compliance through a series of informational posters featuring UHD personnel wearing the badges.