Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Learning Sans Ego

It was reported at a meeting of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America in San Diego on Saturday that something as simple as balling up your paper gown and stuffing it in your gloves prior to disposal has a 26 - 62% rate of success at reducing hospital acquired infections. This measure has been included as one of three "Positive Deviance approaches that the CDC has found reduced infection rates at hospitals. PD is based on the premise that in any group there are natural problem-solvers".

The innovator: a humble patient escort named Jasper Palmer.

I'm glad to hear that august surgeons, clinicians as well as other hospital staff are willing to learn from Mr Palmer. Many a time people are not willing to learn from those they deem to be beneath them, no matter how egalitarian the society. It is nice to hear that people are serious about the problem of nosocomial infections that they are willing to listen to sensible solutions proposed by someone without a PhD.

Lovely.

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