On CDC's Safe Healthcare blog, Marion Kainer, MD, MPH, FRACP, FSHEA, director of the healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance program at the Tennessee Department of Health, discusses the geographic variation of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in the state of Tennessee and the implications for prevention. The post kicks off a three-part series related to CDC’s August 2015 Vital Signs: Making Health Care Safer: Stop Spread of Antibiotic Resistance.
The Vital Signs report includes mathematical modeling that projects increases in drug-resistant infections and Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) without immediate, nationwide improvements in infection control and antibiotic prescribing. While the coordinated approach this Vital Signs report describes is a forward-looking approach, some states are already implementing the response in a variety of different ways. This three-part blog series will spotlight the current efforts in Tennessee, Illinois and Wisconsin. Learn more and join the conversation at: http://blogs.cdc.gov/safehealthcare/?p=4572. Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 of the blog series on Aug. 12 and 13.
The 90’s Club: A Successful Hand Hygiene Adherence Campaign
July 9th 2024The "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.
Hand Hygiene Adherence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Safety Is Universal
July 1st 2024Hebah al Zamel, MSN, CIC, CPHQ, an infection preventionist in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a member of ICT's Editorial Advisory Board, describes how hand hygiene is handled in Prince Sultan Cardiac Center in Qasim.
How Emerging Technologies Increase Hand Hygiene Adherence and Reduce Infections
June 24th 2024Health care-associated infections (HAIs) affect over 680,000 patients annually in the U.S. Unlike manual methods, automated hand hygiene monitoring can significantly improve compliance and reduce HAIs.