Numbers Reported at Conference
ATLANTA, GA-The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported at the 4th Decennial International Conference on Nosocomial and Healthcare-associated Infections that infections patients acquire while in the hospital for other health problems account for nearly $5 billion in health costs in the US. The CDC claims almost two million patients get nosocomial infections and approximately 88,000 people die as a result. The high cost is in part a result of additional hospital stays that insurance companies often do not reimburse since they were a cause of treatment and not the reason for the original hospital visit. Dr. William Jarvis, MD, the CDC Chief of the Investigation and Prevention Branch of the Hospital Infections Program stated "the best answer to both the human costs and the economic costs of these infections is an effective infection control program within each healthcare setting."
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.