Handwash monitoring system

Abstract

A handwash monitoring system and method for providing an alert when a person must wash her hands. A badge worn by the person is activated to register at least one of a visual, audible or tactile alarm after a specified time interval or by a beacon placed where contamination may occur when the badge enters the range of the beacon. The person must wash her hands according to a predetermined handwash procedure as set forth by visual and audible prompts issued by a base unit in a wash area in order to clear the badge alarm and advance a wash count.

1 . A handwash monitoring system comprising: 
 a wash area including a faucet and a dispenser for washing hands of a person;    a base unit connected to the faucet and dispenser for detecting when the person has correctly performed a predetermined handwash procedure, whereupon said base unit advances a wash count; and    said base unit comprises means for deactivating the faucet for a predetermined period of time upon the base unit detecting the person has correctly performed a specific step of the predetermined handwash procedure.    
   
   
       2 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said base unit is equipped with one or more of visual means and audible means for prompting the person to perform the predetermined handwash procedure.  
   
   
       3 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said base unit further comprises a memory unit for storing performance data regarding the predetermined handwash procedure for one of later retrieval, immediate transmission and delayed transmission to a remote memory unit.  
   
   
       4 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said base unit is equipped with one or more of communication means for communicating performance data regarding the predetermined hand wash procedure to a remote memory unit.  
   
   
       5 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the faucet and dispenser in said wash area are activated by one of hand proximity sensors and non-contaminating means.  
   
   
       6 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising means for preventing reactivation of the predetermined handwash procedure for a predetermined period of time upon the base unit detecting the person has correctly performed the predetermined handwash procedure.  
   
   
       7 . A handwash monitoring system comprising: 
 a badge worn or carried by a person for registering one of a hands-washed state and a hands-unwashed state;    a wash area including a faucet and a dispenser for washing hands of a person;    a base unit connected to the faucet and dispenser for detecting when the person has correctly performed a predetermined handwash procedure, whereupon said base unit communicates with said badge to register the hands-washed state;    wherein said badge comprises an identification badge with a memory containing identification data that is transmitted to said base unit upon request by said base unit to begin the predetermined handwash procedure when said badge is within a predetermined proximity to said base unit;    said base unit comprises means for selecting a language for the predetermined handwash procedure based upon the identification data; and    said base unit comprises means for deactivating the faucet for a predetermined period of time upon the base unit detecting the person has correctly performed a specific step of the predetermined handwash procedure.    
   
   
       8 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said base unit advances a wash count upon detecting when the person has correctly performed a predetermined handwash procedure.  
   
   
       9 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said badge is equipped with one or more of visual means, audible means and tactile means for registering one of the hands-washed state and the hands-unwashed state.  
   
   
       10 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said base unit is equipped with one or more of visual means and audible means for prompting the person to perform the predetermined handwash procedure.  
   
   
       11 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said base unit stores performance data of the person regarding the predetermined handwash procedure along with the identification data transmitted by said badge to said base unit for later retrieval or for immediate or delayed transmission to a remote memory unit.  
   
   
       12 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said badge comprises a timer that triggers said badge to register the unwashed hands state after a predetermined period of time elapses.  
   
   
       13 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said base unit communicates performance data of the person regarding the predetermined handwash procedure along with the identification data transmitted by said badge to a remote memory unit.  
   
   
       14 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said base unit communicates with said remote memory unit using wireless means.  
   
   
       15 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the faucet and dispenser in said wash area are activated by one of hand proximity sensors and non-contaminating means.  
   
   
       16 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said base unit communicates with said badge using wireless means.  
   
   
       17 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of beacons placed at locations where it is desired to communicate with said badge to register the hands-unwashed state when said badge is within a predetermined proximity to any one of said plurality of beacons.  
   
   
       18 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 17 , further comprising means for preventing said badge from registering the hands-unwashed state for a predetermined period of time upon said base unit detecting the person has correctly performed the predetermined handwash procedure to allow the person to exit said wash area and pass one or more of said plurality of beacons without registering the hands-unwashed state.  
   
   
       19 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein said plurality of beacons communicate with said badge using wireless means  
   
   
       20 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of sentinels equipped with one or more of audible means, visual means and remote means for issuing a warning when said badge is within a predetermined proximity to any one of the plurality of sentinels while registering the hands-unwashed state.  
   
   
       21 . The handwash monitoring system as set forth in  claim 7 , further comprising means for preventing reactivation of the predetermined handwash procedure for a predetermined period of time upon the base unit detecting the person has correctly performed the predetermined handwash procedure.  
   
   
       22 . A handwash monitoring method comprising the steps of: 
 instructing a person to perform a predetermined handwash procedure using a base unit;    deactivating a faucet for a predetermined period of time upon the base unit detecting the person has correctly performed a specific step of the predetermined handwash procedure;    detecting whether the person has properly performed the predetermined handwash procedure using the base unit; and    advancing a wash count with the base unit when the person has properly performed the predetermined handwash procedure.    
   
   
       23 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 22 , wherein said instructing step further includes the step of one or more of visually and audibly prompting the person to perform the predetermined handwash procedure by the base unit.  
   
   
       24 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 22 , preventing reactivation of the predetermined handwash procedure for a predetermined period of time upon the base unit detecting the person has correctly performed the predetermined handwash procedure.  
   
   
       25 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 22 , wherein said handwash monitoring method further comprises storing performance data of persons regarding the predetermined handwash procedure to the base unit for one of later retrieval, immediate transmission and delayed transmission to a remote memory unit.  
   
   
       26 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 25 , wherein said handwash monitoring method further comprises communicating performance data of persons regarding the predetermined hand wash procedure to the remote memory unit.  
   
   
       27 . A handwash monitoring method comprising the steps of: 
 registering a hands-unwashed state on a badge worn by a person;    identifying the person using a base unit located in a wash area that prompts the badge to transmit identification data stored in the badge to the base unit to begin a predetermined handwash procedure when the badge is within a predetermined proximity to the base unit;    selecting a language for the predetermined handwash procedure using the base unit based on the identification data;    instructing the person to perform the predetermined handwash procedure using the base unit;    deactivating a faucet in the wash area for a predetermined period of time upon the base unit detecting the person has correctly performed a specific step of the predetermined handwash procedure;    detecting whether the person has properly performed the predetermined handwash procedure using the base unit; and    clearing by the base unit the hands-unwashed state on the badge when the person has properly performed the predetermined handwash procedure.    
   
   
       28 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 27 , wherein said registering step includes the step of activating one or more of a visual alarm, audible alarm and tactile alarm on the badge.  
   
   
       29 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 27 , wherein said instructing step further includes the step of one or more of visually and audibly prompting the person to perform the predetermined handwash procedure by the base unit.  
   
   
       30 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 27 , wherein said handwash monitoring method further comprises the step of advancing a wash count with the base unit when the person has properly performed the predetermined handwash procedure.  
   
   
       31 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 27 , wherein said handwash monitoring method further comprises the step of issuing one or more of a visual alarm and audible alarm with the base unit when the person has improperly performed the predetermined handwash procedure.  
   
   
       32 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 27 , further comprising the step of preventing reactivation of the predetermined handwash procedure for a predetermined period of time upon the base unit detecting the person has correctly performed the predetermined handwash procedure.  
   
   
       33 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 27 , further comprising the step of storing performance data of the person regarding the predetermined handwash procedure along with the identification data transmitted by the badge to the base unit for one of later retrieval, immediate transmission and delayed transmission to a remote memory unit.  
   
   
       34 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 33 , wherein said handwash monitoring method further comprises the step of communicating performance data of persons regarding the predetermined hand wash procedure to the remote memory unit.  
   
   
       35 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 27 , wherein said registering step occurs when a predetermined period of time elapses.  
   
   
       36 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 27 , wherein said registering step occurs when the badge is within a predetermined proximity to any one of a plurality of beacons placed at locations where it is desired that the badge register the hands-unwashed state.  
   
   
       37 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 36 , further comprising the step of disabling the badge from registering a hands-unwashed state for a predetermined period of time by the base unit upon detecting the person has correctly performed the predetermined handwash procedure to allow the person to exit the wash area and pass one or more of the plurality of beacons without registering the hands-unwashed state.  
   
   
       38 . The handwash monitoring method according to  claim 27 , further comprising the step of issuing one or more of a visual alarm, audible alarm and remote alarm by each of a plurality of beacon-sentinels when the badge registers the hands-unwashed state within a predetermined proximity to any one of the beacon-sentinels; and wherein said registering step occurs when the badge is within a predetermined proximity to any one of the plurality of beacon-sentinels.