Hand-washing is essential to prevent germs, and it's certainly important to be vigilant about hand-washing when you're visiting a doctor's office.
Both the FDA and the CDC recommend a minimum of 20 seconds for proper hand-washing, using warm water and soap (figure A), making sure to lather between fingers, and under rings and fingernails. After 20 seconds of washing, if you haven't built up a thick lather on the hands, change to a new brand of soap (figure B).
The use of hand sanitizers (figure C) is probably not as effective as a good hot, soapy hand-wash, but it is effective against germs in lieu of water.In the waiting room of the doctor's office, be careful about handling magazines, especially the ones at the top of the pile, since everyone who touches the paper can leave germs behind on the pages. Don't forget that everything in a doctor's office is a potential source of germs, including doorknobs, chair arms (figure D), bathrooms and even the pen and check-in register. Keep antibacterial or alcohol wipes handy to clean your hands both during and after the appointment.
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