VOA标准英语2015--'Smart Shoes' Help Reduce Hospital Infections

'Smart Shoes' Help Reduce Hospital Infections

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that, in 2011, about 75,000 hospital patients in the U.S. died of causes related to healthcare-associated infections, or HAI for short. One French hospital is trying to lower the rate of infections by asking its staff to wear so-called ‘smart shoes.’

Hospitals need to be the epitome¹ of cleanliness.

The problem is, harmful microorganisms are stubborn creatures able to find their way into even highly sterile² environments such as hospital operating rooms.

One of the ways they get there is by hitching³ a ride on humans, especially on our hands.

That's no surprise, so at the Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases in North Hospital, in Marseille, France, hydro-alcoholic solution dispensers are everywhere,  The problem is that members of the staff, like nurse Lugdivine Gancia, aren't perfect, and sometimes they forget to wash their hands before touching⁴ a patient.

“Yes, because there are situations when we forget or we omit to do the hydro-alcoholic solution. When we bring in food trays, we don't always think about the hydro-alcoholic solution, "said Gancia.

Since 2013 the hospital has been testing a system, developed by French companies Micro BE and Ephygie-Hand, for tracking how often the staff uses sanitizer dispensers.

Department head Dr. Philippe Brouqui explains that radiofrequency identification chips, or RFIDs, are placed in soles of hospital shoes, while antennas⁶ are placed on the floor.

“The system knows that I'm on this antenna⁵, I'm going to take here the hydro-alcoholic solution, it sends an impulse to the same system so we know that I took some alcohol," said Brouqui.

The system registers every time the dispenser is used and sends text messages to the staff about their compliance⁷ rate.

“Here is an sms [text message] sent every 15 days to two different groups in terms of shifts, that tells us our level of hand washing, not the exact level, but whether we have improved, if we haven't improved, or, on the contrary, if we've done worse," said Brouqui.

Brouqui says since the system was installed it has improved the level of compliance from 20 to almost 50 percent. His goal is to get it to 80 percent. He also dreams of setting up alarms that would go off whenever a member of staff approaches a patient before using the sanitary⁸ lotion⁹ dispenser.

1 epitome   

n.典型，梗概

参考例句：

• He is the epitome of goodness.他是善良的典范。
• This handbook is a neat epitome of everyday hygiene.这本手册概括了日常卫生的要点。

2 sterile   

adj.不毛的，不孕的，无菌的，枯燥的，贫瘠的

参考例句：

• This top fits over the bottle and keeps the teat sterile.这个盖子严实地盖在奶瓶上，保持奶嘴无菌。
• The farmers turned the sterile land into high fields.农民们把不毛之地变成了高产田。

3 hitching   

搭乘； （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的现在分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上

参考例句：

• The farmer yoked the oxen before hitching them to the wagon. 农夫在将牛套上大车之前先给它们套上轭。
• I saw an old man hitching along on his stick. 我看见一位老人拄着手杖蹒跚而行。

4 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

5 antenna   

n.触角，触须；天线

参考例句：

• The workman fixed the antenna to the roof of the house.工人把天线固定在房顶上。
• In our village, there is an antenna on every roof for receiving TV signals.在我们村里，每家房顶上都有天线接收电视信号。

6 antennas   

[生] 触角，触须（antenna的复数形式）

参考例句：

• Marconi tied several antennas to kites. 马可尼在风筝上系了几根天线。 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Radio astronomy today is armed with the largest antennas in the world. 射电天文学拥有世界上最大的天线。

7 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

8 sanitary   

adj.卫生方面的，卫生的，清洁的，卫生的

参考例句：

• It's not sanitary to let flies come near food.让苍蝇接近食物是不卫生的。
• The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。

9 lotion   

n.洗剂

参考例句：

• The lotion should be applied sparingly to the skin.这种洗液应均匀地涂在皮肤上。
• She lubricates her hands with a lotion.她用一种洗剂来滑润她的手。