How visual reminders improved hospital handwashing by 43%

Hospital-acquired infections, which often occur due to improper hygiene practices, are a dangerous side effect to hospital stays. While reminders of handwashing are available and prominent, they are often ignored by healthcare workers. This behavior can result in infectious outbreaks, incapacitating whole hospital wards.

In 2016, Nyt Hospital Nordsjælland employed Danish behavioral science firm Kurkow to tackle this issue using visual design cues. The nudge would show the correct hygiene procedures before entering isolation rooms. By replacing text-based sanitation information with visual cues, the number of healthcare workers employing proper hygiene procedures jumped from 16% to 59%.