Covidien Announces New Program to Recognize Reduced VAP Infection Rates
DENVER — Covidien, a leading global healthcare products company and innovator in mechanical ventilation and respiratory care devices, announces the Zap VAP Recognition Program. This program will publicly recognize hospitals that have successfully reduced their ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rates.
VAP is considered one of the most serious and costly hospital-acquired infections. In the United States, VAP is estimated to result in $1.5 billion in excess expenditures and 1.75 million additional hospital days each year.
“We value the efforts of the teams and individuals who work daily at hospitals and medical centers to reduce VAP,” said Michael Vannier, director of marketing for Covidien’s respiratory care business. “With the Zap VAP program, Covidien is committing resources to improve patient outcomes by empowering physicians and the healthcare community through the sharing of information that highlights best practices.”
To be considered a Zap VAP Center of Excellence, a facility must meet criteria that include the implementation of a VAP reduction program for the prior six months.
All Zap VAP Centers of Excellence were recognized at a reception held at the annual meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC) in Denver June 16. Special recognition was planned for those facilities that have achieved a zero-VAP rate over the last 12 months in at least one clinical unit.
Source: Covidien
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.
