Approximately 2 million Americans develop infections in hospitals every year despite fast-paced innovation in medical equipment and procedures. Despite the deadly nature of many of these infections, they can often be prevented with simple hand washing techniques. Dr. Sanjay Saint argues that the social learning that guides our behavior in institutions like grocery stores can be used to improve the quality of healthcare in our hospitals.

Sanjay Saint, MD, MPH, is the George Dock Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan and Chief of Medicine at the Ann Arbor VA Medical Center. His research is focused on preventing hospital-aquired infections, as well as implementation science and medical decision making. As a leader in the healthcare space, Dr. Saint is a Special Correspondent to the New England Journal of Medicine and a frequent contributor to other publications, including the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx