An Innovative App developed at San Cecilio Clinical Hospital with Support from ibs.GRANADA Improves Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings

Coinciding with the week of World Hand Hygiene Day, professionals and researchers at the University Clinical Hospital San Cecilio are presenting the new digital application Manos Seguras 3.0. The app was developed in collaboration with the Granada-based startup Health & Preventive Systems (H&P Systems) and supported by ibs.Granada (Institute for Biomedical Research of Granada). This tool originates directly from the clinical setting of the public healthcare system, aiming to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), lower mortality and cut avoidable hospital costs.

The project is the result of a public-private partnership that has led to several jointly owned intellectual property registrations between the Andalusian Health Service (SAS) and H&P Systems, a subsidiary of BeeBit, as well as a commercial licensing agreement facilitated through the Innovation Unit at ibs.GRANADA.

In the words of Indalecio Sánchez-Montesinos, Granada’s Territorial Delegate for Health and Consumer Affairs, who presided over the presentation: “This tool reflects the Andalusian public healthcare system's commitment to continuous improvement and practical innovation in the service of professionals and patients.” He also highlighted “the value of projects like Manos Seguras 3.0, which emerge from daily clinical work and become practical solutions with the potential to be implemented throughout the healthcare system.”

MS 3.0 (Manos Seguras 3.0) is a portable, multiplatform solution (app and web support) that goes beyond the WHO strategy for ensuring hand hygiene compliance at five key moments of patient care. It promotes a comprehensive vision of 'safe hands', not just 'clean hands'. The app is the result of prior research led by the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, with contributions from the Dermatology Unit, IT Services, and the Communications Department—highlighting its collaborative and cross-disciplinary nature.

Carmen Valero Ubierna, head of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at Clínico San Cecilio, explains: “The Manos Seguras 3.0 project was born after the pandemic, when we noticed that indiscriminate glove use was displacing proper hand hygiene.” In that context, Dr. Valero adds, “we designed a strategy focused on three areas: hand hygiene at the right moment and in the right way, glove use only when necessary, and hand skin care for professionals. We integrated this with IT and professional communication systems to ensure rapid and effective implementation, making it transferable to other facilities.”

Features and Results of the Tool

Among the strengths of this digital tool - which promotes a culture of hand safety - are its ability to collect real-time data, generate immediate reports, and personalize training efforts. Its offline functionality supports on-site use, improving traceability and responsiveness. It also provides access to posters, videos, surveys, and more. The app features a distinctive visual identity and strong communication design that ease its integration into daily clinical routines.

First implemented at Clínico San Cecilio in 2023, the tool has already delivered strong results. For instance, it has improved observation and compliance with hand hygiene measures in over 30 patient hospital units. Training sessions have increased more than fivefold—from 290 to over 1,600 professionals between 2023 and 2024. Overall adherence to hand hygiene best practices has risen by 15%.

Origin of the App

"To manage real-time compliance observations, training, and structural evaluation, a partnership was established with H&P Systems, which led to the creation of the app and its web platform. 'We needed a portable tool, usable offline, and capable of generating instant reports,' explains Valero Ubierna."

Valentín Pedrosa, CEO of H&P Systems, emphasized the strategic value of the partnership: “After nine years in the startup world, I saw MS 3.0 as a unique opportunity to reduce hospital costs and improve wait times. The app faithfully reproduces the clinical project, and after two years of commercial use, it has proven effective in over 150 public healthcare centres—including hospitals and health centres—with over 90% satisfaction."

Since its launch, MS 3.0 has enabled more than 20,000 annual observations to monitor adherence to hand hygiene best practices—far exceeding the previous limited audits in critical units such as ICUs or infectious disease wards. This increased monitoring revealed that much of the non-compliance stemmed from improper glove use, allowing for more targeted training.

Results and Scientific Endorsement

Thanks to these initiatives, adherence to hand hygiene best practices has increased by 15% at Clínico San Cecilio and by an average of 12.3% at other pilot healthcare centres. Economically, each center could save between €300,000 and €650,000 annually, with a very low implementation cost. The project is endorsed by both the Andalusian and Spanish Societies of Preventive Medicine and Public Health and has been presented at national and international conferences.

The app has also received preliminary approval from hospitals including La Paz, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Arrixaca Hospital, Príncipe de Asturias Hospital, and Fundación Jiménez Díaz Hospital to conduct a multicenter study using an AI engine for automated observations. The study is pending successful implementation at Clínico San Cecilio.

According to Manuel Reyes, Managing Director of San Cecilio Clinical Hospital, “Innovation and knowledge generation are key pillars of public healthcare. Initiatives like MS 3.0 arise from real clinical needs and show how our hospital, as a living lab, can pilot solutions that later scale across the healthcare network.” Reyes emphasizes that “these kinds of projects strengthen our commitment to excellence in care,positioning Clínico San Cecilio as a benchmark for technology transfer and best practices.”

Future Development

H&P Systems is seeking both public and private funding to continue enhancing the app, including training an AI engine to complement in-person observation and developing modules to control multidrug-resistant organisms and potential HAIs—integrating this data into Manos Seguras 3.0.

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that patients acquire during their stay at a healthcare facility and that were neither present nor incubating at the time of admission. These infections can affect any patient and are associated with medical procedures, invasive devices, or the healthcare environment in general.

HAIs represent a major global public health issue as they increase morbidity and mortality, prolong hospital stays, and lead to high economic costs. According to the 2022–2023 EPINE study by the Spanish Society of Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Health Management, HAIs affected around 300,000 patients in Spain—almost 8% of hospitalized individuals—with over 6,000 attributable deaths.

Preventing HAIs is a top priority in healthcare systems, and hand hygiene is one of the most effective and straightforward ways to reduce their incidence. Tools like the Manos Seguras 3.0 app are crucial for improving adherence to hand hygiene practices and, consequently, reducing the occurrence of these infections.