-
Revised compendium guidelines to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) include some new socio-adaptive and technical strategies for infection preventionists to consider.
-
With infections related to contaminated endoscopes a recurrent problem in health care, the Joint Commission and several other groups and associations are reiterating the importance of reprocessing procedures.
-
For the past 10 years, the United States has been wrestling with a resurgence of pertussis as outbreaks strike in different states. In 2013, cases subsided in most of Minnesota, but spiked in Texas and North Carolina, for example. California reported 2,372 cases, 132 hospitalizations and one death of a two-month-old.
-
Joint Commission Resources (JCR) has released a new, free guide to help hospital executives and physician leaders implement and sustain safe practices. Produced by the JCR Hospital Engagement Network (HEN), the guide is part of the federal Partnership for Patients initiative to improve the quality, safety and affordability of healthcare.
-
In an ambitious attempt to see if patient safety successes can go beyond individual units and even entire facilities, the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare is partnering with 20 hospitals in South Carolina.
-
A growing number of health care workers are coming into their profession with childhood vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV).
-
An H3N2 A influenza strain not covered in the current vaccine is circulating in the U.S. and threatens high risk groups with severe infections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
-
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized its long anticipated infection control survey for hospitals, telling its inspectors the requirements are effective immediately and can be used to issue citations in unannounced inspections.
-
Though the timing with the Ebola outbreak is purely coincidental, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has drafted an infectious disease standard that would mandate infection control measures to protect health care workers.
-
U.S. biocontainment facilities that have safely handled Ebola patients now are joined in their preparedness efforts by more than 30 hospitals newly designated as Ebola treatment centers.
