Abstract: A system and method for improving healthcare facility operation by improving hand hygiene compliance and reducing healthcare-associated infections and their associated costs is disclosed. The method may compare the financial benefit of improved hand hygiene compliance to the cost of improving compliance by, for example, providing electronic monitoring that reports hand hygiene within the facility. The costs of current hand hygiene monitoring and of current HAIs are determined, the cost of an electronic hand hygiene monitoring system and the cost benefits of improved hand hygiene compliance are determined, and an electronic hand hygiene monitoring system is installed and implemented within the healthcare facility where improved hand hygiene compliance will benefit the facility.