The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recently published their annual progress report on healthcare-associated infections on January 29th. The report indicates substantial decreases in hospital-related infections in the year gone by. The salient findings of the report include a significant 11% decrease in hospital-onset Clostridioides difficile, commonly known as C. difficile, infection.…
The successful implementation of infection prevention strategies is no longer the purview of a single infection preventionist (IP); instead, it necessitates an interdisciplinary team's concerted efforts. Differentiated expertise from various professionals combine to form a robust culture where safety and infection prevention encompass collective responsibility. These teams provide a transformative perspective to health care, fundamentally…
As we reflect on the unfolding of the recent global pandemic, it becomes clear that long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) have emerged under mounting strains that have stretched them beyond the scope of their standard practice. The reality remains that there is a glaring knowledge gap on how these crucial healthcare bodies have managed amidst the…
The MHA Keystone Center, a recognized healthcare organization, is set to launch an infection control quality improvement cohort. The initiative will provide comprehensive technical assistance to a group of ten selected long-term care (LTC) facilities. This project, named 'Strengthening Long-term Care Infection Prevention and Control Practices to Address Emerging Pathogens', aims to bolster existing infection…
In the U.S., more than 1.3 million people reside in nursing homes, as per a report by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). These individuals tend to be more vulnerable to infections due to their advanced age, medical fragility, and the close quarters they share with…
In a world where healthcare-associated infections and endemic pathogenic threats constantly create a volatile healthcare environment, especially within long-term care facilities, effective infection prevention measures have never been more crucial. According to a study published in the June 2024 issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety (JQPS), healthcare facilities accredited by…