Adherence to proper hand hygiene protocol one hundred percent of the time for healthcare workers is "the single most important way to avoid spreading infection," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Leveraging radio frequency and accelerometer technology, a new bracelet from startup company IntelligentM vibrates letting doctors and nurses know if they have sufficiently washed their hands or need to spend more time at the sink to meet hand hygiene standards established by the CDC.
"We all can benefit from reminders about the basics," writes Dr. Ford Vox with Atlanta's Shepherd Center for brain and spinal cord injury in a Bloomberg article. "Years of education and expertise don't mean that medical professionals aren't human, and may sometimes forget a step in even routine procedures." The wristband can also alert hospital-infection-control officers regarding hand-washing compliance and can share reports with anyone who wants to know.