The Institute of Medicine (IOM) reported recently that an estimated 50% of
physicians wash their hands BUT RARELY during patient interaction and that this gross lack of
traditional handwashing and hygiene by physicians was linked directly to
DISEASE COMMUNICATION and PATIENT DEATHS
This national disgrace of physicians rarely washing their hands before patient interaction also
siphons millions of precious healthcare dollars from the healthcare vault because of the cost of
treatments required for these physician-induced infections
Traditional handwashing with soap and water is the single most cost-conscious way to prevent
the effective number of bacteria and viruses required for transfer from doctor to patient and
generate an infection. This simple procedure prevents the thousands of patients from
becoming diseased every year while under the care of physicians
Many physicians fail to recognize the fundamental importance of personal hygiene and the
need for handwashing despite standard and established medical protocols of
“wash-in, wash-out”
A quick sprinkle of water or a little alcohol jelly to the fingers is an inadequate replacement for
traditional handwashing and preventing the transfer of bacteria and viruses
Antibacterial soaps, lotions and antibiotic wipes may be less time consuming than traditional
handwashing but they are no more effective as well as being more costly than handwashing
The wearing of gloves between patient interactions does NOT negate the need for
traditional handwashing with soap and water gloves may protect the healthcare worker but previously used gloves fail to protect the patient
The following are some very common situations where physicians fail to wash their hands;
personal hygiene missteps such as after a toilet break, blowing ones nose, rubbing sleep from
an eye, picking a nose or ear, biting nails, licking fingers to turn pages, scratching a scab or
scratching ones crotch, running of hands through hair or facial hair
The following are very common situations where physicians and healthcare staff fail to use
clean or sterile gloves and then move on to the next patient without washing their hands;
patient examination, dressing removal, wound examination, handling of IV sites, manipulating
or removing drains and catheters, handling of bodily fluids and specimens
Along with the unclean and dirty hands of many physicians and other healthcare workers are
dirty doctor scrubs and surgical caps (in the hospital or between hospitals and offices) as well
as, unclean personal items, ties, fabric bracelets, white coats, sleeve-cuffs, nails, hands with
cuts and bandaids, gloves used from previous patient interactions, stethoscopes, BP-cuffs,
bedrails, cell phones, ipads, laptops, unclean examining tables, pillows, office instruments
Many patients are also to blame for failing in personal hygiene and the washing of
their hands. For example, after I have completed a digital rectal examination in order to
examine a man’s prostate and then given him the privacy to clean up, the majority of these
men will fail to wash their hands after wiping their anus
The fundamental importance of the simple act of handwashing for doctors and healthcare staff
between every patient interaction was established long ago by physicians like Semmelweis,
Lister and others
Miasmas, evil humours, bodily “toxins” and the many other topics of pseudoscientific
nonsense concerning healthcare have all been completely discredited scientifically while the
connection between dirty hands and sickness was established scientifically 150 years ago.
today’s doctors are fully aware of the “germ theory of disease” and the importance of traditional
handwashing with soap and water
This gross lack of traditional handwashing by today’s healthcare providers has necessitated
the development of special sensors to determine whether hands are clean or not
Patients are witness to their healthcare and have a duty to advise physicians and all
healthcare staff to wash their hands if they feel it is appropriate, whether it offends or not
Traditional washing of hands prior to patient contact can become a life or death
situation patients are made sick by dirty healthcare hands
Failure to wash hands and hand-hygiene noncompliance, because of distraction or
laziness on the part of the healthcare provider, represents not only complacency but
blatant medical malpractice
That traditional handwashing with soap and water is not recognized by many healthcare
workers as an absolute necessity as well as an inalienable right of patients under their care,
is simply appalling.
Hearing a friend ask his hospitalized buddy, “did you come in here sick or did they make you sick?” is quite revealing
Healthcare workers and especially physicians, need to look and act professionally
You can learn more about urology and the many pitfalls in the prostate cancer industry
by visiting
Dr Bert Vorstman’s website, https://urologyweb.com/exclusive-medical-reports/
or, Dr A. Horan’s book, “How to avoid the over-diagnosis and over-treatment of prostate cancer”
or, Dr B Vorstman’s blogs at, https://urologyweb.com/uro-health-blog/
or, contact him at, bvorstmanmd@gmail.com