Infection Intel: GermZapp Is the Innovative Hand Hygiene System IPC Needs

Infection Control Today Infection Intel: Staying Ahead With Company Updates and Product Innovations

In this exclusive interview, Infection Control Today^® (ICT^®) speaks with Lisa Broyden, MS, OTR/L, the owner/founder of Athela, LLC, and the developer of GermZAPP, an innovative and cost-effective hand hygiene system that reduces infection risks in nursing homes, assisted care facilities, schools, and other environments. Broyden, a clinical occupational therapist with a personal connection to infection prevention, highlights the urgent need for affordable, scalable solutions in environments where traditional, expensive systems are not feasible.

GermZAPP goes beyond simple monitoring—it educates, tracks adherence, and incentivizes better hygiene habits through gamification. In this discussion, Broyden shares insights on the current limitations of infection control systems, the unique advantages of GermZAPP, and the promising impact of its pilot studies.

ICT: There are many similar systems out there. Why GermZapp?

Lisa Broyden, MS, OTR/L: There are a staggering number of products in the hand hygiene space, most of which are driven by regulatory agencies reporting their health statistics, health care-associated infections, and readmission rates to demonstrate their safety.

But what about the nursing homes, assisted care facilities, and school settings where infection outbreaks spread like wildfire, endangering loved ones? What happens when those facilities are quarantined or closed? What about your mother residing in a care facility? Your child getting a horrific sickness from school and giving it to a grandparent?

Infection control is personal: I have an immunocompromised child, and 1 germ can kill her. To help these communities affordably decrease catastrophic risk from the exponential spread of germs, “GermZapp” was developed. Our mission is to reduce these health and financial risks by helping to develop hand hygiene habits so they are ingrained, like wearing sunscreen and using car seats.

It is well documented that improved hand hygiene decreases the risk of outbreaks, lost lives, reputation, and profit. However, the above facilities often lack the funds to install 1 of the numerous multimillion-dollar systems. This system was purposefully built to cost a fraction of the “big systems,” so facilities unable to access expensive systems can have a system whose benefits far outweigh the low cost.

ICT: What are the options for nursing homes, assisted care facilities, schools, and daycares?

LB: Current challenges in monitoring and enforcing adherence across hospitals, schools, and preschools include high costs, reliability issues, manual processes, and the lack of educational tools.

• Expensive systems that a small percentage of hospital organizations can afford, or
• Honor system (not reliable)
• Visual recording with manual entry (valuable, professional, consuming) to external data analysis system to report
• Secret shopper (spy and report on peers)
• Schools and preschools: Teacher assistance/supervision (valuable, professional time-consuming in preschools)
• No existing educational tools in primary and secondary schools.

ICT: So, what is this system?

LB: GermZAPP is a patented hand hygiene system that educates users on effective handwashing techniques recommended by the CDC. The device uses proximity sensors or individual wireless IDs to track handwashing quality and timestamp adherence and provides real-time feedback. It offers:

• Education: Step-by-step visual and timing cues for effective handwashing or 20-second hand sanitizing.
• Tracking: Data collection on user adherence, allowing for analysis and improvement.
• Rewards: Incentive mechanisms to encourage habit formation.
• Affordability: A one-time affordable purchase of a device, sold on a subscription model for the valuable data, making it a fraction of the cost of “the big” systems (up to $4,000/bed/year). Plus, there are often additional fees for electronic infrastructure, proprietary software, badges, and accessories often incur additional fees.

ICT: There are many very similar products in this space. What is unique about this system?

LB: Our system is unique in several different ways.GermZAPP is designed to provide a low-cost, automated solution to address the high costs and inefficiencies of traditional hand hygiene adherence methods.

While many similar systems exist, GermZAPP costs a fraction of the "big" systems. It is also designed for education and habit development, as handwashing must be ingrained to protect individuals and communities from the continuous threat of new, dangerous, and contagious diseases. This system is affordable and better than having no system for reducing risk and promoting health among customers, employees, and regulators.

GermZAPP enables:

• Cost Savings: Reduced disease outbreaks and absenteeism, saving money for schools, medical facilities, and businesses.
• Efficiency: Real-time tracking and education eliminate the need for manual observations.
• Accessibility: Affordable for smaller institutions, including schools, standalone medical facilities, and restaurants.
• Share company health with customers, employees, and regulators.

ICT: What are the potential markets and applications?

LB: GermZAPP has several, including:

1. Health care: Affordable for nursing homes, assisted care facilities, small hospitals, critical access hospitals, and clinics. GermZAPP improves adherence without relying on expensive proprietary systems.

2. Education: Schools can reduce absenteeism and associated funding losses through improved hand hygiene practices.

3.. Restaurants: A simple and affordable solution to track and educate staff on hand hygiene, minimizing outbreak risks and liability.

4. Large Venues: Decreases insurance costs and improves public safety through better hygiene tracking.

5. Cruise Industry: Encourages engagement by guests and adherence through gamified incentives, reducing disease spread while enhancing customer experience.

ICT: Have there been testing and pilot studies?

LB: Yes! We completed pilot testing and demonstrated increased proper hand hygiene from 8% to 52%.

Study Results A pilot study was conducted across 3 schools in 2 counties involving 450 students, 2 schools, 4 grades, and over 11,000 washes to demonstrate GermZAPP’s effectiveness:

• Baseline Adherence: Initial handwashing adherence was 8-9%.
• Post-Intervention Adherence: Increased to 52% following the introduction of GermZAPP’s educational and feedback system.
• Sustained Improvement: Adherence rates continued to improve over the 12-week study period.
• Consistency of improvements maintained over time.
• Gamification built into the database improved student adherence and adherence. “Star Washers” were announced daily for the prior day, with the winning class taking possession of the “Germ trophy” for the day.

(These studies are available upon request.)

ICT: Where is this product in development?

LB: GermZAPP was awarded U.S. Patent Number 11,436,910 in September 2022, protecting its innovative design and functionality. The associated database and CAD files are 80 to 85% complete, allowing potential buyers to customize them.

ICT: Who might be interested in acquiring this system?

LB: Unlike comparable systems, GermZAPP is available for purchase.

• Hand Sanitizer/Soap Dispenser Manufacturers: Integrating GermZAPP technology to enhance existing products.
• Hygiene Tracker Companies: Using GermZAPP as a collection tool for real-time data.
• Cruise and Hospitality Industry: Leveraging GermZAPP’s gamified approach to hygiene for customer engagement and risk reduction.

The system’s low cost and innovative features offer a scalable solution to improve hygiene adherence across industries.

ICT: What could a potential buyer do with this system?

LB: GermZAPP can:

• Provide a cost-effective alternative to existing manual and expensive systems.
• Reduce public health risks by enhancing adherence rates.
• Transform hand hygiene practices through gamification and education.

We invite interested parties to explore the opportunity to acquire the GermZAPP system, including its patent, design files, and database rights. With the groundwork already laid, GermZAPP is poised for significant market impact under the right stewardship.

Contact information: info@mygermzapp.com