PHILIPSBURG:--- In an effort to continually improve its safety procedures, St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) has embarked on a Hand Hygiene Quality project.
This initiative was facilitated by SMMC’s Quality & Safety Department in collaboration with the Hygiene & Infection Control (HIC) Department.
Under this initiative, representatives from each clinical department were appointed as a hand hygiene champion. These champions then received in-depth training by the HIC department with the objective to further facilitate training for all clinical and non-clinical staff throughout the hospital.
Hand Hygiene is an important intervention to prevent the spread of hospital-acquired infections. SMMC is currently implementing such initiatives, like the Hand Hygiene Program, with the aim to improve its safety procedures within the hospital and, in the long run, as part of its goal to reach accreditation by the Joint Commission International (JCI).
JCI Accreditation is the international gold standard in best practices for quality and safety within care facilities. It provides the necessary tools, techniques and staff education to build and sustain a comprehensive and effective infection prevention and control program.
