The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is holding its 43rd Annual Conference June 11-13, 2016, in Charlotte, North Carolina. GOJO Industries, a leading global producer and marketer of skin health and hygiene solutions and the inventors of PURELL® Hand Sanitizer, is hosting at this year's APIC Conference the GOJO Interactive Breakfast Symposium: Safe Patient Care Starts with Healthy Hands: How to Maintain Healthy Skin While Increasing Hand Hygiene Compliance on Sat., June 11, from 5:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. at the Charlotte Convention Center.

The keynote speakers are leaders in the fields of occupational dermatitis and hand hygiene. The speakers are:

John Boyce, M.D. – retired director of hospital epidemiology and infection control at Yale-New Haven Hospital and retired clinical professor at the Yale University School of Medicine

Matthew Zirwas, M.D.- board-certified dermatologist specializing in occupational and contact dermatitis based in Columbus, Ohio

Srini Venkatesh, Ph.D. – chief science officer, GOJO These three speakers will share their perspectives on hand hygiene and skin health and the impact skin health has on patient safety and hand hygiene compliance. Dr. Boyce will provide an overview of hand hygiene's importance to infection prevention. Dr. Venkatesh will enhance the audience's knowledge around product formulations by sharing how products are designed to deliver good efficacy skin health and skin feel. Finally, Dr. Zirwas will deliver practical advice for infection preventionists and discuss interventions and therapies to restore skin health among healthcare workers.

"We all know how critically important hand hygiene is in preventing healthcare-associated infections, but if a healthcare worker's skin is damaged, this may present a barrier to practicing hand hygiene and reducing the spread of infection," said Jeff Hall, GOJO  healthcare business vice president and general manager. "Our objective with the symposium is to provide APIC attendees with knowledge around hand hygiene formulations and their effects on the skin, an understanding of the importance of maintaining skin health and to deliver practical advice from a board-certified dermatologist about maintaining and improving skin health."

Breakfast will be provided at the symposium and 2.0 CE credits are available for those who attend. Register for the GOJO Interactive Breakfast Symposium today. For more information about GOJO at the APIC 2016 Annual Conference go to http://tradeshows.gojo.com/

About GOJO 

GOJO Industries is the inventor of PURELL® Hand Sanitizer and the leading global producer and marketer of skin health and hygiene solutions for away-from-home settings. The broad GOJO product portfolio includes hand cleaning, handwashing, hand sanitizing and skin care formulas under the GOJO®, PURELL® and PROVON® brand names. GOJO formulations use the latest advances in the science of skin care and sustainability. GOJO is known for state-of-the-art dispensing technology, engineered with attention to design, sustainability and functionality. GOJO programs promote healthy behaviors for hand hygiene, skin care and compliance in critical environments. GOJO is a privately held corporation headquartered in Akron, Ohio, with operations in the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Canada and Brazil.