Information technology tools employed in infection control

Hygiene, in general is a key attribute to maintain safety and healthy procedures at various industries, ranging from food processing to medical care. It is linked to human behavior at multiple levels, which means, relevant standards and protocols are often bypassed due to the lack of competence, skill and willingness for compliance. The act of hand hygiene - or hand rubbing, when performed with an alcoholic disinfectant solution - has become a standard practice both in personal hygiene and in the medical and clean site manufacturing domains. However, fundamental problems remain associated with the improper execution of hand hygiene (hand washing and rubbing) that calls for a technology-advanced solution. Technology-induced behavioral change is a recent emerging paradigm, where ICT tools properly integrated to the daily workflow of humans can significantly alter their routine behavior. The trend is now clearly visible in many domains of health care, and this paper aims to provide a general overview of the cutting edge technological solutions addressing the urging need of infection control.