[Clinical hygiene: practice vs. theory (author's transl)]

The purpose of clinical (hospital) hygiene is to prevent health hazards, above all hospital-acquired infections, and thereby to support the clinician. Its measures are always applicable in hospitals and clinics where clinical hygiene is considered important. Clinical hygiene procedures are not practical if the necessary though inconvenient changes in personnel practices have not been established. Personnel requirements are hard to meet in that there is still a shortage of qualified individuals, i.e., hygienists, etc. Expensive constructional changes are worthwhile only if the clinical staff is prepared to observe the hygiene measures as closely as possible.