GOJO Joins National Patient Safety Foundation in Raising Importance of Patient Safety Awareness Week

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Mar 04, 2014, 12:32 ET

AKRON, Ohio, March 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Navigate Your Health …. Safety is the theme of Patient Safety Awareness Week, led by the National Patient Safety Foundation, March 2 – March 8, 2014. GOJO Industries, a leader in hand hygiene and skin health and inventors of PURELL® Hand Sanitizer, is joining with the National Patient Safety Foundation and hospitals across America to recognize the critical importance of patient safety.

"We know one of the single most important measures to reduce hospital associated infections (HAIs) is effective hand hygiene," said David Mackay, vice president sales and marketing, healthcare markets. "During Patient Safety Awareness Week, it provides the venue and opportunity to raise awareness of the important work being done to reduce HAIs and improve the safety of healthcare workers and patients. Our job at GOJO is to develop solutions that make hand sanitizing solutions easily accessible and top of mind for every healthcare worker that comes into contact with a patient."

To celebrate Patient Safety Week, GOJO provided nearly 13,000 bottles of PURELL Advanced hand sanitizer and hand hygiene materials for both patients and healthcare professionals. Studies have consistently demonstrated the importance of using PURELL Instant Hand Sanitizer in healthcare settings where infection rates in long-term care facilities were reduced by 30%¹ and 36% reduction in a hospital setting.²

GOJO began selling PURELL® hand sanitizer in the healthcare market in 2001. The company developed point of care solutions (POC), which is the location of three elements: the patient, the healthcare worker and the care or treatment involving the patient or the patient's surroundings. The POC products include fixed wall mounted dispensers, personal carriage, touchless dispensers, wipes and educational resources.

About GOJO
GOJO Industries, Inc. (www.gojo.com) is the inventor of PURELL® Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer and the leading global producer and marketer of skin health and hygiene solutions for away-from-home settings. The broad GOJO product portfolio includes hand cleaning, handwashing, hand sanitizing and skin care formulas under the GOJO®, PURELL® and PROVON® brand names. GOJO formulations use the latest advances in the science of skin care and sustainability. GOJO is known for state-of-the-art dispensing technology, engineered with attention to design, sustainability and functionality. GOJO programs promote healthy behaviors for hand hygiene, skin care and compliance in critical environments. GOJO is a privately held corporation headquartered in Akron, with offices in the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Japan and Brazil.

¹ Fendler EJ, Ali Y, Hammond BS. Lyons MK, Kelly MB, Vowell NA, Effects of alcohol hand sanitizer on infection control in an extended care facility. Am J Infect Control. 2002, 30:226-233.

² The Use of Alcohol Hand Sanitizer as an Effective Infection Control Strategy in an Acute Care Facility. Hilburn J. Texas Society of Infection Control Practitioners; Fendler EJ, Groziak PA, Hammond BS. Am J Infect Control. 1999, 27:332-338.

SOURCE GOJO Industries, Inc.