AN ACT appropriating funds to the department of health and human services, division of public health, for the establishment and administration of a healthcare‑associated infection prevention pilot program.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health (Division), the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2023‑2024 fiscal year to establish and oversee a two‑year healthcare‑associated infection prevention pilot program. The purpose of the pilot program is to evaluate the effectiveness of a solution to (i) increase hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers before and after patient contact and (ii) reduce the number of healthcare‑associated infections, with the intent to establish best practices that can be modeled statewide. The Division shall select at least two general acute hospitals licensed to operate more than 200 beds as pilot program sites. Each pilot program site shall include the following components:

(1)        Hand hygiene dispensers in patient rooms that are installed with communication devices to track usage and detect when the dispensers need service.

(2)        In‑hand hygiene dispensers for patient‑facing healthcare workers.

(3)        The use of real‑time data analytics and dashboards to monitor hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers.

(4)        Compliance training and education on hand hygiene for healthcare workers at each pilot program site.

Funds allocated under this subsection shall not revert at the end of the 2023‑2024 fiscal year but shall remain available until expended or until the pilot program concludes, whichever is earlier.

SECTION 1.(b)  By December 31, 2023, and every six months thereafter until June 30, 2025, the Division shall submit a progress report on the status and operation of the pilot program authorized by subsection (a) of this section to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services. By December 31, 2025, the Division shall submit a final report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services that includes recommendations on best practices for (i) hand hygiene among healthcare workers and (ii) reducing the number of healthcare‑associated infections.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2023.