The Multiplier Effect: Infectious Disease Outbreaks in ICE Detention Centers and Beyond

Welcome to Healthbeat’s analysis of key public health incidents that have recently unfolded across the United States. The article is authored by Dr. Jay K. Varma, a veteran healthcare professional with extensive experience in epidemiology and public health, who currently serves as chief medical officer at Fedcap, a nationally recognized nonprofit focused on advancing economic…

March 24, 2026

Infection Prevention News

Rise in Respiratory Illnesses in South Jersey Hospitals: Observations and Preventive Measures

Medical centers across South Jersey, such as those managed by Virtua Health, are observing an upward trend in patients struggling with respiratory illnesses. This comes amidst rising national flu activity, paving the way for health care providers to anticipate a surge in cases in the near future. Virtua Health's emergency room has noted an influx…

January 9, 2026

Infection Prevention News

CMS Introduces the Transforming Episode Accountability Model: A New Payment System for Hospitals

Commencing January 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement a novel alternative payment system for selected hospitals, known as the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM). This contemporary model will place the onus on participating hospitals to uphold care quality, control costs, and coordinate post-discharge care associated with five specific surgical procedures. TEAM…

September 25, 2025

Infection Prevention News

Tracing the Path to Excellence: Meritus Medical Center’s Journey from a ‘D’ to Five Consecutive ‘A’ Safety Grades

Meritus Medical Center, based in Hagerstown, has accomplished a significant feat, earning its fifth consecutive 'A' Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an esteemed national nonprofit organization committed to optimizing patient safety. This prestigious recognition places Meritus in an elite group of hospitals - the top 12 percent across the country - that have…

June 13, 2025

Infection Prevention News

Infection Prevention After COVID: Tactics in the Trenches

In an era defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and health systems nationwide continue to grapple with its lasting implications. Casting our minds back to 2020, we can recall the scramble to secure necessary provisions such as beds, ventilators, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Today, the lessons learned during those harrowing early days have helped…

March 20, 2025

Infection Prevention News

Understanding and Overcoming Obstacles in US Hospitals’ Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance During The Covid-19 Pandemic

A recent report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) highlights multiple interconnected factors that curtailed the capacity of United States hospitals to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased need of mechanical ventilation for critically ill patients, prolonged hospital stays, escalated caseloads, concurrent fear of undertreatment, absence of timely guidelines, an…

January 21, 2025

Infection Prevention News

Leveraging Human-Centered Design for Enhanced Infection Prevention Control in Hospitals

In response to evolving healthcare settings, hospitals and healthcare systems face unique challenges while adapting their infection and prevention control methods. To help understand and address these issues, the American Hospital Association (AHA), in collaboration with member hospitals and Upstream Thinking, undertook an extensive examination. Their findings revealed that the implementation of human-centered design could…

October 4, 2024

Infection Prevention News

Navigating Infection Control Practices: A look at Compliance Among Healthcare Workers in Somalia

Over the past few years, the global crisis faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic underlines the absolute necessity for robust infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, particularly among healthcare workers (HCWs). In regions such as Somalia, where there is a dearth of HCWs compared to the established Sustainable Development Goals, the protection and education of…

September 30, 2024

Infection Prevention News

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Infection Control: Multi-drug Resistant Organisms’ Outbreaks in U.S. Hospitals

A recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides significant insights into the disruptiveness COVID-19 has cast on infection control (IC) processes across United States' hospitals. This disturbance holds even for regions with a relatively lower SARS-CoV-2 transmission rate. The study is detailed in the American Journal of Infection Control…

August 2, 2024

Infection Prevention News

Responding to the COVID-19 Surge: A Perspective from Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare professionals have observed a resurgence in the COVID-19 cases recently, a trend which, thankfully, is not contributing to a corresponding rise in hospitalizations or fatalities. The heightened attention on COVID-19 has been further amplified with President Joe Biden's recent positive test and subsequent isolation period. Notably, the strains seemingly prevalent now appear to result…

July 22, 2024

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