Automation of probe reprocessing can have multiple benefits for patients, clinicians and facilities, including improvements in efficiency, accuracy, compliance, standardization and safety. When considering process options for high level disinfection of ultrasound probes, automated systems can be an efficient and cost-effective way to prevent patients from the risk of infection. It’s time to work smarter, safer, happier, more efficiently, and accurately… not harder.
The "90’s SwipeSense Club" significantly improved hand hygiene adherence at Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center. By incentivizing adherence through 1990s-themed rewards and using SwipeSense technology to track hygiene practices, the hospital increased adherence rates from 53% in 2021 to 84% by May 2024.
Robust infectious disease surveillance, including rapid subtyping of influenza A, is essential for early detection, containment, and public health reporting of novel viral threats.
Infection prevention certification is not what it used to be—it is more valuable. It’s not for a few experts; it’s for the frontline IP in any health care setting that chooses to demonstrate competency.
Peter Rabinowitz, MD, MPH, discusses how climate change, including extreme weather and temperature shifts, is reshaping the spread of infectious diseases like dengue, leptospirosis, and Valley fever.
At the intersection of surgery and infection prevention resides a sometimes-neglected opportunity to further minimize infection risk by modernizing choices and innovation.
Health care-associated infections (HAIs) significantly impact patient outcomes, hospital expenses, and mortality rates in the United States. Hand hygiene stands as the most effective preventive method. While manual observation often produces biased results, Electronic Hand Hygiene Monitoring Systems (EHHCM) offer evolving methods for more accurate adherence assessment.
In an era defined by digital transformation and post-pandemic urgency, telemedicine has evolved beyond virtual visits to become a vital infrastructure for delivering personal protective equipment (PPE) and managing sterile supplies. By enabling real-time forecasting, remote quality control, and equitable distribution, telemedicine is revolutionizing how health care systems protect both patients and providers.
Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.
When constructing a health care facility of any size, it is crucial to seek the advice and expertise of an infection preventionist. This article provides guidance on how to do so effectively.
Diseases transmitted by mosquitoes are not new to the US, but with malaria in Florida and Texas showing up, protecting against getting bit is even more vital.
The ability of any infectious agent to maintain constant transmission enables it to be an ongoing threat to public health. Few pathogens have achieved greater success at ongoing transmission potential than the influenza virus.
Infection preventionists come from many different backgrounds. However, many left the field during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will require creative methods to preserve existing IP staff and educate those entering the field.
This year we have to do more than just rely on the flu vaccine. Avoiding the flu plus COVID-19 catastrophe is contingent on the US widely embracing public health guidance of wearing masks, meticulous hand hygiene and social distancing.
Maintaining proper hand hygiene is crucial in ensuring our safety and that of those around us and is rightly celebrated worldwide.
Here, we will review 3 common sterilization modalities currently in use for N95 respirator decontamination, how they work, and their strengths and limitations.
High-flow oxygen therapy reduced the need for mechanical ventilation and shortened the time to clinical recovery among patients with severe COVID-19, says the study.
Six confirmed cases of malaria in Florida and 1 in Texas have not been linked to international travel.
Without market reform, antimicrobial innovation will collapse. Henry Skinner, PhD, MBE, MJur, CEO of AMR Action Fund, urges global economic action to prevent an antibiotic-free future.
As children get ready to return to school, pediatric health care providers may start seeing more of this condition in their offices. Here is what you should know.
The smallest hospital patients need extra care to be protected from infectious disease. This article series examines the NICU from both a physician and infection preventionist perspective.
We may never know what triggered the global pandemic that has claimed more than 3.8 million lives…. What we do know for certain is that the incredible strength and collaboration of the scientific community have allowed us to regain some semblance of normalcy.
Beating back infection is a numbers game: viruses against antibodies. If the virus changes its armor so the antibodies cannot attach, it develops an advantage. However, it can also produce viruses which are more efficient at attaching to and invading cells, or simply just produce a lot more viruses, overwhelming the system.
As surgical procedures shift increasingly to ambulatory care settings, preventing surgical site infections is more critical than ever to protect patients and reduce avoidable costs.
In the first of this new series, IPC Pros Helping Each Other: When is the right time to unmask in long-term care? One IP explains how she and her facility unmasked and what led to their decision.
As measles cases rise and vaccine misinformation spreads, Infection Control Today spoke with APIC President Dr Carol McLay about restoring trust in immunization.
Here, we will review 3 common sterilization modalities currently in use for N95 respirator decontamination, how they work, and their strengths and limitations.
Despite medical advances, HIV prevention faces roadblocks—low PrEP adoption, stigma, and accessibility issues threaten progress. Experts push for innovative, long-acting solutions to end the epidemic.
Clinical Laboratory Science has journeyed from its 1930s roots to become a cornerstone of hospital medicine—powering everything from life-saving diagnoses to advanced molecular testing. But its story isn’t just about history; it’s a roadmap for how other critical fields, like infection prevention, can build strong, standardized pathways for the next generation of professionals. Now is the time to learn from CLS’s evolution and start shaping the future of IPC.
Evolving air quality monitoring technologies, like an IAQ Exposure Index, provide real-time data to detect airborne contaminants, enhance infection control, and protect vulnerable healthcare populations from respiratory exposures.