# US 12,190,707 B2 · Methods and systems for improved accuracy in hand-hygiene compliance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,190,707 B2 - Document ID: US12190707B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/329,006 - Filed: 2023-06-05 - Published: 2023-10-05 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-23 - Assignees: GOJO Industries, Inc. - Applicants: GOJO Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Tamara M. Cross; John Harry Lerner; Timothy M. Cambier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12190707B2 ## CPC - G08B 21/245: {Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands} - G06Q 50/20: Education - G06Q 50/22: Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services - G16H 15/00: ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof - G16H 40/20: for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms - G16H 40/67: for remote operation - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract Exemplary embodiments of methods and devices for obtaining more accurate hand hygiene compliance metrics are disclosed herein. An exemplary device or badge for a hygiene compliance system includes a housing; a processor located in the housing; memory in circuit communication with the processor; wireless communication circuitry in circuit communication with the processor; and an additional time input in circuit communication with the processor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of determining hand hygiene compliance in a hospital comprising: identifying two or more roles; assigning a role to a person; providing a sensor configured to determine an entry event that is a function of the person's entry into a selected area and wirelessly transmit a signal indicative of the entry event; determining that a person has entered the selected area; obtaining an identifier of the person that is indicative of the person's role; providing a sensor configured to determine an exit event that is a function of the person's exit from the selected area and wirelessly transmit a signal indicative of an exit event; determining that a person has exited a selected area; determining whether the entry event into the area triggered a hand hygiene opportunity; and determining whether the exit event from the area triggered a hand hygiene opportunity; wherein determining whether the entry event and/or the exit event triggered a hand hygiene opportunity is a function of the role of the person. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein an entry event does not trigger a hand hygiene event for one or more roles. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the two or more roles include at least one role selected from the group of a physician, a resident, a nurse, a technician, a phlebotomist, an aid, a cleaning staff, a maintenance staff, a food currier, and a visitor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 comprising determining that two or more people assigned to the same role entered the selected area and wherein the number of hand hygiene opportunities determined is less than the number of the two or more people. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein one or more roles allow multiple entry events and/or exit events within a time period without triggering a hand hygiene opportunity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a sensor to determine whether a person is bringing an object into the selected area and if the person is bringing an object into the selected area, the determining step determines that no hand hygiene opportunity is triggered as a function of the entry event. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the object is a piece of medical equipment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein the object is food service equipment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether an entry event has occurred is further a function of time that the health care worker remained in the area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 if the persons role is one of a cleaning staff and a maintenance staff the determining whether a hand hygiene opportunity is triggered is a function of the last exit event by the person. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein an entry event does not trigger a hand hygiene opportunity if the person's role is one of a cleaning staff, a maintenance worker and a visitor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that a role is one or more doctor or residents that entered the selected area and determining whether a hand hygiene opportunity is triggered is a function of a doctor and one or more residents entering the selected area and the number of hand hygiene opportunities that are triggered is less than the total amount of doctors and residents that have entered the selected area. ### Claim 13 A method of determining hand hygiene opportunities comprising: obtaining information related to a selected area of a hospital; providing a sensor configured to determine an entry event that is a function of a person's entry into the selected area; wherein the sensor comprises wireless communication circuitry for transmitting a signal indicative of the entry event; obtaining a signal that a person has entered the selected area; determining whether the entry event into the area triggered a hand hygiene opportunity; providing a dispenser for dispensing a product; determining if a dispense event has occurred; determining whether to credit the person with a dispense event; wherein determining whether the entry event triggered a hand hygiene opportunity is a function of the information related to the selected area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the information related to a selected area comprises whether the selected area is occupied by a patient. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the information related to a selected area comprises information indicative of contact precautions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the contact precautions are indicative of a C-Difficile infection. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein determining whether to credit the person with a dispense event is a function of whether the dispense event is a soap dispense. ### Claim 18 A method of determining hand hygiene opportunities comprising: identifying two or more roles for hospital workers; providing an asset; obtaining information related to the asset; providing a sensor configured to determine a location of the asset; determining whether the asset has been in the proximity of a patient; determine that a hospital worker has come in contact with the asset; determining whether the contact between the hospital worker and the asset triggered a hand hygiene opportunity; wherein determining whether the contact triggered a hand hygiene opportunity is a function of the information related to the asset and the role of the hospital worker. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein a hand hygiene opportunity occurs if the role of the hospital worker is to handle the type of asset. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the asset is a medical device.