DETECTION OF HYGIENE COMPLIANCE

• US 20170004699A1
• Filed: 04/18/2016
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sidra Medical And Research Center
• Original Assignee: Sidra Medical And Research Center
• Inventors: Rizvi, Avez Ali, Ahmed, Saif Reza, Kaura, Deepak
• Granted Patent: US 9,978,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• 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

The present technology relates to apparatuses, methods and systems for detecting hygiene compliance, particularly in hospital and clinical settings, where hospital acquired infections (HAIs) are of concern. A temperature signature can be determined and then used to ascertain whether a user is compliant with a given hygiene standard. The present technology also relates to sanitizing compositions used in conjunction with such apparatuses, methods and systems.

Claims

1. A method of measuring hygiene, comprising:

(a) contacting a portion of a user'"'"'s body with a sanitizing solution that creates a temperature signature on the surface of the portion of the user'"'"'s body having contact with the sanitizing composition;

(b) determining the temperature signature; and

(c) comparing the temperature signature with a known temperature signature for the user or the sanitizing composition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the user'"'"'s body is the hand.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sanitizing composition is in the form of a sanitizing solution.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the sanitizing composition comprises alcohol and water.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature signature comprises:

(i) a numerical measurement of the rate of temperature change of the portion of the user'"'"'s body measured over a period of time, or (ii) a visual signal present in the image that indicates a certain rate of temperature change of the portion of the user'"'"'s body measured over a period of time

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

obtaining the temperature an image of the portion of a user'"'"'s body in a pre-treatment condition.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the rate of temperature change is the rate of temperature increase or the rate of temperature decrease.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature signature is visually displayed with infrared or thermal imaging.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature signature is aurally displayed with a sound indicator.

10. A sanitizing composition comprising:

(a) alcohol;

(b) water; and

(c) an additional ingredient chosen from a vitamin, a humectant, an emollient, a binding agent or an emulsifier.

11. The sanitizing composition of claim 10, wherein the alcohol is present in an amount of about 40 to about 95%.

12. An apparatus for measuring hygiene, comprising:

(a) a device that measures a temperature signature;

(b) a processing unit that compares the obtained temperature signature with a known temperature signature indicating an acceptable level of hygiene; and

(c) an output indicator that indicates whether the temperature signature equals or exceeds the acceptable level of hygiene.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the device comprises an item chosen from a thermometer, an infrared detector and a video camera.

14. A wearable apparatus of claim 12.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the output indicator comprises a visual or sound display.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the visual display is a light indicator or information displayed on a monitor.

17. A method of measuring hygiene, comprising:

(a) imaging a portion of a user'"'"'s body to obtain a temperature signature; and

(b) comparing the obtained temperature signature with a known temperature signature indicative of an acceptable level of hygiene.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

(c) providing feedback to the user communicating the result of (b).

19. A system for measuring hygiene, the system comprising:

(a) an apparatus that determines a first temperature signature for a user and a second temperature signature for the same user;

(b) a processing unit that compares the first temperature signature and the second temperature signature and determines whether the two temperature signatures are acceptably close to each other; and

(c) an output visual or sound display that communicates the result of (b).