APIC Announces Theme of 2011 International Infection Prevention Week

Infection preventionists, policy makers, patient safety advocates, healthcare professionals, administrators and consumers will join the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), in collaboration with its global partners, in commemorating International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW), Oct. 16-22, 2011.

This year marks the silver anniversary for the event, first established in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan.

IIPW highlights the infection prevention profession and its partnerships with other healthcare stakeholders. Nearly 30 associations and societies and half of all U.S. states have signed on to support IIPW, broadening the reach and scope of this event, under the theme of "infection prevention is everyones business."

"As we mark the 25th anniversary of IIPW, we celebrate the substantial progress that has been made in preventing certain healthcare-associated infections, which have been identified as a Winnable Battle by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," says APIC 2011 president Russell Olmsted, MPH, CIC. "But we have a long way to go to attain our ultimate objective of eliminating preventable infections. We believe that the added focus on these issues during IIPW will help us to sustain and accelerate progress toward this objective."

"We are proud to partner with APIC on IIPW and are pleased to see how awareness of this event is growing around the world," added Debra Rectenwald, president and general manager of 3M Infection Prevention, the Signature Sponsor of IIPW. "As the reach of IIPW expands, more patients will benefit from better healthcare practices, saving lives, improving quality and reducing healthcare costs."

The 2011 commemoration features a policy summit on Oct. 19 in Washington, D.C. hosted by APIC and the National Journal. The summit, which will be webcast live and archived, will feature a panel discussion with policy experts focusing on the resources necessary to eliminate preventable infections, how healthcare reform efforts can improve outcomes for patients, and the important role of infection preventionists.

APIC will also offer a series of webinars for health professionals on current infection prevention topics. The keynote webinar on Oct. 17 will feature the presidents of APIC and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) discussing a partnership paradigm for the future of infection prevention and healthcare epidemiology. To register, email iipw@apic.org.

APICs 2011 IIPW program is made possible with support from the Signature Sponsor, 3M Health Care, in the form of an unrestricted educational grant.

President Ronald Reagan, who proclaimed the third week of October as National Infection Control Week, established IIPW in the U.S. in 1986. IIPW aims to raise awareness about infection prevention and commemorates the work of healthcare professionals and administrators, legislators and consumers for their commitment to reducing infection worldwide. Since its creation, APIC has spearheaded the annual effort to recognize IIPW globally; it is now formally recognized in many areas around the world including the U.S., Australia, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.