As part of World Hand Hygiene Day, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and Japanese Society for Infection Prevention and Control (JSIPC) for a joint international webinar exploring the evolution and future of hand hygiene programs in healthcare. Bringing together experts from the United States and Japan, this session highlights lessons learned from building sustainable hand hygiene cultures at leading institutions, overcoming implementation barriers, and leveraging global initiatives such as World Hand Hygiene Day to strengthen staff engagement.

 

Through a cross-cultural discussion, speakers will examine challenges in monitoring and metrics, balancing accreditation requirements with clinical practice, developing evidence-based national guidance, and translating successful bedside practices into broader healthcare policy reforms. The webinar concludes with key takeaways for global and local implementation and a shared commitment to advancing patient safety through international collaboration in infection prevention.

 

Moderator

Koh Okamoto, MD, MS, PhD

Institute of Science Tokyo

Speakers

Lisa Maragakis, MD, MPH

Johns Hopkins University

 

Yumi Suzuki, MD

NHO Shimoshizu National Hospital