Griffin Health improves patient safety, prevents HAIs with implementation of BioVigil electronic hand hygiene system

ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Six months after implementing BioVigil's electronic hand hygiene solution, an automated way to monitor and measure staff hand hygiene behavior, Griffin Hospital has strengthened its commitment to the person-centered principles of transparency, partnership, and empowerment while enhancing patient safety and experience within the hospital.

Griffin Hospital, in Derby, Connecticut, is the first hospital in the state and the first within the Planetree healthcare organization to use BioVigil's electronic hand hygiene solution. The system is used in all patient units, including the Emergency Department and Ambulatory Services.

BioVigil uses infrared location tracking technology connected to individual user badges that monitor when healthcare workers enter and exit a patient room, and when they perform hand hygiene either with hand sanitizer or soap and water. The system collects data that is linked to each user's badge, enabling care teams to monitor hand hygiene compliance, track cross contamination, and conduct thorough contact-tracing to pinpoint sources of infection should they occur, and prevent future transmission.

"BioVigil has been a wonderful addition to our patient care safety practices and complements Griffin's Planetree person-centered care philosophy," said Griffin Health Vice President of Patient Safety & Care Improvement Holly Major, APRN. "The Planetree principles encourage the use of data to ensure safe, accessible, high-quality care, which BioVigil provides through accurate measurement of hand hygiene compliance."

Since installing the BioVigil system six months ago, Griffin Health's staff compliance with hand hygiene protocols has increased, and the facility has recorded nearly 2 million hand hygiene opportunities. This gives Griffin Health helpful data they can use to identify gaps and provide additional coaching as needed to improve hand hygiene practice.

To amplify the focus of hand hygiene, Griffin actively informs patients and visitors about the hand hygiene technology with posters, in-room signage and inpatient guides, encouraging them to ask caregivers to wash their hands if the caregiver's badge is red.

"A key element of person-centered care is involving patients and their families in the healthcare process to enhance the quality of their experience and deliver meaningful health education," said Kelly Egan, MSN, RN, FAB, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Griffin Health. "We value the visual cue of the BioVigil badge, as it actively engages patients in supporting a culture of exceptional safety."

More than 1.7 million healthcare associated infections (HAIs) occur in the United States each year, leading to additional illness, longer hospital stays and sometimes death. Proper hand hygiene is one of the most reliable ways to prevent HAIs.

"We are excited to partner with Griffin Health and to play a part in supporting their culture of person-centered excellence," said Erik Axter, BioVigil President and CEO. "Together, we are improving quality and safety by something as simple as ensuring clean hands."

BioVigil is a complete electronic hand hygiene system including a room sensor, sink sensor, badge sensor and robust data suite. The BioVigil system has helped partners across the country improve hand hygiene behavior, reduce HAIs by up to 83%, achieve and sustain 97% hand hygiene compliance, and improve LeapFrog quality grades.

About Griffin Health
Griffin Health is a not-for-profit health care system that includes the award-winning Griffin Hospital, an independent community teaching hospital located in Derby, Connecticut and its integrated medical practice Griffin Faculty Physicians.  Griffin Hospital is a 160-bed acute care community hospital serving more than 130,000 residents of the Lower Naugatuck Valley Region.

Griffin Hospital is the flagship hospital for Planetree, an international consumer healthcare organization dedicated to promoting person-centered care, and has received national recognition for creating a healthcare facility and an approach to patient care that is responsive to the needs of the whole person and their loved ones. Griffin's commitment to the person-centered care philosophy enhances its mission to improve the well-being of its communities by empowering individuals with health education, wellness programs and assistance with conditions that adversely affect health. Many healthcare organizations around the world send visitors to Griffin Hospital's facilities and incorporate its Planetree concepts into their healthcare delivery models.

Griffin Hospital is recognized for having industry-leading patient satisfaction ratings and has received numerous quality and clinical excellence awards. Griffin Hospital was listed as one of the "World's Best Hospitals" by Newsweek magazine for seven consecutive years (2019-2025), awarded Gold Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care™ by Planetree International, and was named one of "Becker's 100 Great Community Hospitals" the highly reputable healthcare specialty publication Becker's Hospital Review for continued focus on equity, patient satisfaction, innovation, and improving the health needs of the surrounding community.

About BioVigil:
BioVigil is a leader in electronic hand hygiene monitoring.  BioVigil technology is used to increase hand hygiene compliance in healthcare facilities, resulting in decreased healthcare associated infections (HAIs), improved patient engagement, accessibility to data insights, and improved Leapfrog Group grades. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, BioVigil launched in 2012 and its solutions are used in more than 40 facilities across the United States. Learn more at BioVigil.com

Media Contact: Debbie Reinheimer, [email protected]

SOURCE BIOVIGIL Hygiene Technologies, LLC