Doctors Disagree about Hand Washing

Q. I read your column about dry hands and cracks. The answer is stop washing your hands 25 times a day!
I am a physician (internal medicine) and I personally use a small alcohol wipe. I just clean the palms and fingertips between patients to prevent the spread of infection. This crazy hand washing is very hard on skin, particularly in the winter.
A. We asked one of the country’s leading patient safety experts about your technique. This physician disagrees with your advice. She says that doctors are usually taught to control the spread of infection by washing the surfaces of both hands thoroughly between patients, using a scrubbing action. Either soap and water or the cleansing foam or gel the hospital supplies in each patient room are considered acceptable.
She herself uses hand lotion conscientiously at home, especially at bedtime, to counteract the drying action of soap and water.