FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- APIC Conference, Booth #516 – Kimberly-Clark today announced that its Kleenex Clean Hands Care Program will be unveiled at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) 40^th annual conference. New data related to surface disinfection practices will also be highlighted, reinforcing Kimberly-Clark's complete hand and surface hygiene offering. 

Aligning with its dedication to providing infection prevention solutions, Kimberly-Clark is a market leader in delivering critical healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevention education, products and research to the healthcare community. Approximately 1.7 million hospital patients contract an HAI each year in the United States, however a large number of these infections are preventable.

"Creating safer healthcare environments is a team effort. Kimberly-Clark designed the Clean Hands Care Program to help drive greater visibility and knowledge of the critical role hand hygiene plays in the transmission of germs. Our goal is to help empower patients, visitors and healthcare professionals alike to work together to reduce the incidence of preventable infections," said Joanne Bauer, President, Kimberly-Clark Health Care. "At Kimberly-Clark, we recognize the continuous need for developing cutting-edge product solutions, producing engaging educational materials and sharing best practices to aid in HAI prevention."

Kleenex Clean Hands Care Program
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand hygiene is one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of infections. The Kleenex Clean Hands Care Program is a comprehensive approach to hand hygiene designed to engage healthcare professionals and empower patients to create a safer healthcare environment. The program provides Kleenex hand hygiene product solutions, as well as timely and relevant clinical and patient education around infection prevention. Tenets of the program include:

Clinical Resources

• The Kleenex Clean Hands Care Hand Washing Challenge, cross-functional training sessions hosted by Kimberly-Clark.
• Accredited education programs, designed to provide an overview of transmission of microorganisms, techniques for hand hygiene, hand hygiene adherence rates and strategies to boost compliance.
• How to hand wash and sanitize posters, providing clear step-by-step instructions to support a quality hand wash and proper use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
• A three-part DVD series on training solutions for environmental service professionals and infection prevention and control managers.
• Dedicated clinical website resources, www.CleanHandsCare.com and www.haiwatch.com.  

Patient Resources

• Dedicated patient education website, www.preventinfections.com.
• Quick response (QR) code enabled posters, featuring patient safety videos sponsored by the CDC, Joint Commission, Kimberly-Clark and Safe Care Campaign.
• Personal patient information kit including Kleenex sanitizer, Kleenex tissue pocket pack and Kleenex wet wipes for the face and hands.
• Patient checklist for infection prevention, an informational brochure that can be provided to patients, visitors and family to help reduce the risk of infection while receiving care.
• Educational materials including mirror clings, tent cards and dispenser labels to be used in patient rooms and hallways.

To register for a chance to win a day-long Clean Hands Care Program interactive, educational session, visit the Kimberly-Clark booth at APIC, or the online registration website.

Surface Disinfection Study
Proper cleaning practices in hospitals play a critical role in reducing the spread of bacteria that could cause HAIs, and are especially important in the healthcare setting where patients with weakened immune systems may have a harder time fighting off germs. However, new study results published online in the American Journal of Infection Control found that 93 percent of tested laundered towels used to clean hospital rooms contained bacteria that could result in HAIs. The study also found that of the total number of soak buckets containing disinfectant, 67 percent contained viable bacteria, including coliform bacteria and spore-forming bacteria. Spores can be spread during cleaning process and can cause an outbreak situation, as frequently occurs with C. difficile . The study, "Microbial contamination of hospital reusable cleaning towels," was conducted by Charles Gerba, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology, University of Arizona, and colleagues from the University of Arizona, with support from Kimberly-Clark.

To help optimize healthcare infection control practices, Kimberly-Clark has designed the WetTask System, a compact, enclosed system for disinfecting hospital surfaces, consisting of wipers dispensed one at a time from a closed bucket. The enclosed system helps reduce surface cross contamination and exposure to chemical splashes.

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark Corp. (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust K-C's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company's 141-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.  

Kimberly-Clark in the Healthcare Environment
Around the world, medical professionals turn to Kimberly-Clark for a wide portfolio of solutions that improve the health, hygiene and well-being of their patients and staff. As part of their healing mission, caregivers rely on Kimberly-Clark to deliver clinical solutions, hygiene & cleaning offerings, and educational resources that they can depend on to prevent, diagnose and manage a wide variety of healthcare-associated infections. A global enterprise of more than $1 billion, Kimberly-Clark Health Care holds the No. 1 or No. 2 market share position in several categories, including infection control solutions, surgical solutions, pain management, hygiene solutions and digestive health. And throughout the care continuum, patients and staff alike trust Kimberly-Clark medical supplies and devices, Kleenex tissues, Kleenex & SCOTT skin care products and SCOTT towels for day-to-day needs. For more information, visit http://www.kchealthcare.com and http://www.kcprofessional.com.

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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corp.