Health care costs out of control: Solution 1

Wash your hands. And ensure your health-care professionals do too.

One of the most dreaded and dangerous staph infection is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA. It is difficult to kill this bacteria, and infections can be deadly. And often it is transmitted by health care workers who don't wash their hands between patients.

Treating such infections is extremely costly; often requiring a return hospital visit. A recent study showed a 50% drop in the number of cases of MRSA simply by having what amounts to "hand-washing cops" reminding any staff members of the rules to wash their hands if they were seen leaving a patient room without washing their hands. Compliance rates went up from 50% to 90%.