Gratton said patients are aware of the risk of infection and frequently inquire about whether caregivers have washed their hands. She said the badge relieves their anxiety.
Bill Rogers, a 65-year-old retiree recuperating at St. Mary’s from back surgery and a heart scare, agreed.
‘‘The first thing I noticed up here was the badges,’’ Rogers said. ‘‘It is comforting for me to know their hands are clean as soon as the badge beeps and it goes from yellow to green.’’
St. Mary’s is expanding the Biovigil system later this year to other units of the hospital and to employees other than nurses, though details are still being worked out, Gardner said. Eventually, the system may be expanded to SSM’s seven other St. Louis-area hospitals, he said.
Biovigil’s chief client officer, Brent Nibarger, said customers won’t buy the system but will pay a subscription fee of about $12 a month per badge.
The CDC’s Jernigan said the high-tech systems can only help.
‘‘For a health care worker, keeping their hands clean is the single most important thing they can do to protect their patients,’’ Jernigan said.
