Categories: Decennial, Healthcare-associated infections
March 17th, 2010 5:47 pm ET -
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Vicky Fraser Co-Chair of the Decennial Scientific Program Committee
It is hard to believe that the Decennial Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) is here this week. Although we have been planning this meeting for the past two years, so much has changed in the area of HAI prevention during this period, not to mention the past decade.
What is most exciting is the addition of new partners who have joined efforts in this field, including state and local public health departments, other federal agencies, and even consumers. This conference will be an opportunity for experts from around the globe to come together to share experiences, best practices and vision related to one of the most significant healthcare challenges of our time – eliminating HAIs.
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Categories: Decennial, HICPAC, Healthcare-associated infections, NHSN
March 17th, 2010 12:58 pm ET -
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Scott Fridkin Co-Chair of the Decennial Scientific Program Committee
Challenges before us…
- Making HAI tracking and reporting efforts feasible & sustainable in all hospitals
- Expanding detection and prevention efforts within outpatient settings
- Finding new treatment and prevention strategies for serious pathogens
I agree, Vicky.
In the last 10 years, we have seen accelerated progress in infection prevention in acute care facilities. Hospitals are implementing bundles of prevention strategies, using checklists based on HICPAC guidelines, and reinventing a culture of safety within their facilities. Importantly, more than 2,600 hospitals are tracking infections to monitor progress and better target infection prevention efforts.
However, several challenges now lie before us. These include: making HAI tracking and reporting efforts feasible and sustainable in all hospitals, expanding detection and prevention efforts within outpatient settings, and finding new treatment and prevention strategies for serious pathogens. These three issues will likely prove to be our biggest obstacles to tackle in the coming decade.
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