METHOD FOR REDUCING ILLNESS IN CARE FACILITIES

• US 20140236610A1
• Filed: 01/15/2014
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Daley, Michael A., Koenig, David W., Martin, Stephanie M., McGrath, Kevin P., Tower, Theodore T., Williamson, Bruce S., Theisen, Clarice M., Kaminski, Jennifer M., Baer, Christof J., McLaughlin, Laura M., Semkuley, Bryan John
• Application Number:
  US14/155,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236610A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

There is provided a method for promoting hygiene and reducing illness in a resident care location. The method collects data from a resident care location by testing common areas and personal areas within the resident care location, uses data specific to each resident, uses this data to develop tasks for the caregiver(s), measures and scores compliance with the tasks, and provides feedback for improved compliance with the tasks.

Claims

1. A method for promoting hygiene and reducing preventable illnesses in an resident care location having residents and care givers, comprising the steps of:

a. collecting environmental contaminant data among residents,

b. collecting data on the condition of the residents,

c. inputting data into a computational algorithm to develop tasks for care givers for management of the residents based on data,

d. providing the tasks to the care givers,

e. tracking completion of the tasks,

f. scoring compliance to the tasks and providing scoring to the caregivers,

g. generating customized tasks in managing certain residents based on tracking, scoring, and data to reduce the transfer of pathogens within the facility, and;

h. generating feedback for care givers based on tracking, scoring, deviations, and data.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising repeating the method to determine improvement in resident health.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising repeating the method at several resident care locations and compiling the collected data in a database.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the incentives comprise e-mails, videos, surveys, contest, prizes for compliance and/or engagement and combination thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said tracking comprises completing surveys on usage of specific products used to execute the tasks.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the specific products comprise hand sanitizer, surface cleaners, surface disinfectants, surface sanitizers, and facial tissues.

7. A method for promoting hygiene and reducing preventable illnesses in a care facility comprising the steps of:

a. initial identification of product/protocol adherence gaps,

b. providing tasks to the staff,

c. tracking consumption of cleaning product inventory, and/or infection data and/or microbe population information,

d. scoring compliance to the tasks and providing scoring to the staff.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of benchmarking the facility with other similar facilities.

9. A method for controlling ATP levels within a care facility having residents, staff, and caregivers comprising the steps of:

a. collecting ATP data within the facility,

b. collecting health status data of the residents,

c. inputting the collected ATP and health status data into a computational algorithm to develop tasks for the staff and caregivers,

d. providing the tasks to the staff and caregivers,

e. tracking completion of the tasks,

f. measuring compliance to the tasks and providing scoring to the staff and caregivers.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of generating feedback for caregivers based on tracking, scoring, deviations, and data.