This hospital door handle also cleans your hands

PullClean combines door handles with a sanitizer dispenser, prompting hospital users to wash their hands each time they enter and exit a room.

Hygiene is a major issue for hospitals and many already use sanitizer dispensers to enable doctors and visitors to easily wash their hands and prevent the spread of bugs. However, remembering to use them can be a problem. In the past, we’ve seen solutions such as Hyginex — a wristband system which alerts hospital staff when it’s time to wash their hands and helps managers track hygiene levels. Now PullClean is offering an elegant solution in the form of combined sanitizers and door handles, prompting hospital users to wash each time they enter and exit a room.

The main part of the PullClean system is the door handle, which features a built-in hand sanitizer dispenser that can easily be pressed at the same time as the door is pulled open. By combining the action of pulling and pressing, the two tasks are then indelibly linked in the mind, increasing the rate of hand washing and impeding the spread of hospital-acquired infections. However, the handles also come with a smart fob that is also attached to each door. The fob detects each time the door is opened and each time sanitizer is dispensed. Hospital managers can then plug the fob into their computer via USB, upload the data to their PullClean account and see how often users are washing their hands, as well as whether the sanitizer needs replacing. The video below explains a bit more about the system:

PullClean makes the job of pushing up hygiene standards easier for hospitals while also helping to save lives, and will go on sale for USD 200 later this year. Could these devices or something similar be useful in other locations, such as public restrooms for example?