Hand Sanitization Verification System
Systems, apparatuses, methods, and software for monitoring compliance of sanitizees (e.g., health care workers, food service workers, sanitization/janitorial workers etc.) with sanitization protocols to be followed for encounters with sanitization-protocol targets (e.g., patients, food-preparation areas, health care facilities/appurtenances, restrooms, etc.). In one example, a system includes sanitization verification systems located close to the targets and mobile node devices issued to the sanitizees. Each verification system can be configured to test the efficacy of sanitization procedures performed by the sanitizees prior to encountering a target, to provide authorizations, via the node devices, to the sanitizees to proceed with target encounters, and to open monitoring sessions during which the node devices record information concerning interactions with the targets. The node devices are configured to annunciate sanitization statuses of the sanitizees throughout a work period as the sanitizees continually interact with verification stations and encounter targets.
1 . A sanitization verification system, comprising:
memory containing machine-executable instructions for performing a method of monitoring a sanitizee, wherein the sanitizee carries an electronic node device, said machine-executable instructions comprising:
a first set of machine-executable instructions for automatedly identifying the presence of hands of the sanitizee at a sanitization efficacy test region;
a second set of machine-executable instructions for receiving test data from a sanitization efficacy test performed on the hands of the sanitizee at a sanitization efficacy test station;
a third set of machine-executable instructions for automatedly communicating a monitoring session authorization to the electronic node device carried by the sanitizee as a function of said identifying the presence of the hands;
a fourth set of machine-executable instructions for receiving monitoring session data from the electronic node device, wherein the monitoring session data is associated with the sanitization event identifier; and
a fifth set of machine-executable instructions for automatedly communicating the monitoring session data to a data processing system; and
a central processor in communication with said memory and designed and configured to execute said machine-executable instructions.
2 . A sanitization verification system according to claim 1 , wherein said third set of machine-executable instructions includes machine-executable instructions for communicating the monitoring session authorization in response to detecting the presence of the hands.
3 . A sanitization verification system according to claim 1 , wherein said third set of machine-executable instruction includes machine-executable instructions for communicating the monitoring session authorization in response to results of the sanitization efficacy test satisfying a threshold limit.
4 . A sanitization verification system according to claim 1 , further comprises an alcohol sensor designed and configured to test the hands of the sanitizee for the presence of alcohol following sanitization of the hands by the sanitizee using an alcohol-based sanitizer, wherein said memory further contains machine-executable instructions for performing the sanitization efficacy test using said alcohol sensor.
5 . A sanitization verification system according to claim 1 , further comprising a communications system operatively configured to communicate with the data processing system, said memory further containing machine-executable instructions for communicating the test data to the data processing system.
6 . A sanitization verification system according to claim 1 , further comprising a standoff reader for reading a sanitizee identification device containing an identifier identifying the sanitizee, said memory further containing machine-executable instructions for obtaining the identifier as a function of said identifying the presence of the hands using said standoff reader.