International Infection Prevention Week, Oct. 16–22, highlights infection preventionists' role in protecting public health through education.
view more »CMS Releases July 2022 Overall Hospital Star Ratings
Aug. 2, 2022 ||This is the second star ratings update since the agency updated its methodology in 2020 to include the use of peer grouping.
view more »COVID-19: FDA Votes on Boosters, CDC Infection Control Funding
Sept. 21, 2021 ||An FDA advisory committee recommends a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster for a limited population; CDC announces $2.1 billion dedicated to infection control and prevention.
view more »CDC Progress Report Shows HAI Improvement
Nov. 4, 2019 ||The report shows a 9 percent decrease in central line–associated bloodstream infections, an 8 percent decrease in catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and a 12 percent decrease in hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infections.
view more »CDC Updates Infection Prevention, Control Guidelines
Oct. 28, 2019 ||The update covers a wider variety of health care settings and includes guidance for the use of performance measures in infection control quality initiatives.
view more »APIC Recognizes International Infection Prevention Week
Oct. 11, 2019 ||This year's theme, Vaccines are Everybody’s Business, highlights the importance of protecting public health through vaccination.
view more »CDC, APIC Produce Quick Observation Tools for Infection Prevention
Oct. 23, 2018 ||These no-cost, downloadable cards include ready-to-use infection prevention assessment forms tailored to 19 common themes, environments, or patient populations.
view more »Report Shows Reduced Infections at Acute-Care Hospitals
Oct. 16, 2018 ||This new report, published in the Antibiotic Resistance Patient Safety Atlas, is the first to measure year-to-year health care–associated infection prevention progress using the updated 2015 baseline.
view more »Webinar on Best Practices for Environmental Disinfection
June 12, 2018 ||The June 19 webinar features a patient perspective on environmental disinfection in dialysis stations, along with strategies for enacting best practices.
view more »CMS Refreshes Hospital Compare Data
May 1, 2018 ||The refresh includes data for the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting, Prospective Payment System–Exempt Cancer Hospital Quality Reporting, and Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting programs.
view more »Joint Commission Implements Hand Hygiene Rules for Individuals
March 29, 2018 ||The new rules allow surveyors to penalize a hospital for a deficiency if an individual fails to perform hand hygiene in the process of direct patient care.
view more »Patient Safety Awareness Week 2018
March 16, 2018 ||This year's theme, We Are All Patients, encourages health care providers to stand with patients and stresses the importance of patient engagement in safe care.
view more »CDC Reports Better Prevention of Health Care–Associated Infections
Jan. 16, 2018 ||The agency has found marked progress over a decade in eliminating five health care–associated infections (HAIs), and offers an update on the Department of Health and Human Services' five-year goals to reduce HAIs.
view more »Association Members Get CDC Funding to Fight Antibiotic Resistance
Oct. 25, 2017 ||These awards will support antibiotic resistance research with a focus on the human microbiome, environmental settings, and health care settings.
view more »From Oct. 15 to Oct. 21, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology will raise awareness about antibiotic resistance through a Twitter chat and new infographic.
view more »CMS Will Not Update Overall Star Ratings Data in October
Oct. 2, 2017 ||America's Essential Hospitals was among those urging the agency to suspend overall star ratings and examine concerns with the methodology.
view more »CDC Offers Continuing Education Video on Injection Safety
Oct. 2, 2017 ||This video shares strategies to improve injection safety and reduce infection risks in narcotic diversion; participants must sign up for a free Medscape account to view the video.
view more »CDC Launches Sepsis Awareness Campaign
Aug. 31, 2017 ||The Get Ahead of Sepsis campaign includes a partner toolkit with educational and social media materials; CDC also will host a related webinar and Twitter chat.
view more »CDC Shares Video on Medical Equipment Infection Risks
June 28, 2017 ||The video is the third in a series by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about challenges to preventing health care-associated infections.
view more »FDA Lists Reusable Medical Devices With Greatest Infection Risk
June 13, 2017 ||The list includes reusable medical devices with the greatest risk of transmitting an infection or performing poorly if not properly reprocessed.
view more »CDC Releases Report on Legionnaires’ Disease
June 6, 2017 ||The Vital Signs report notes ways to prevent the bacterial lung infection, which is fatal in 25 percent of people who contract it at a health care facility.
view more »CMS Refreshes Hospital Compare Data
May 2, 2017 ||CMS updated the Hospital Compare website with new data, including health care–associated infections and HCAHPS survey data.
view more »CMS Extends Quality Reporting Deadline after Technical Issues
Feb. 13, 2017 ||CMS has extended the deadline for submitting certain hospital quality data after receiving reports of system issues and inaccessibility with QualityNet.
view more »CDC Opens Registration for 2017 NHSN Training
Jan. 23, 2017 ||The course runs March 20–24 in Atlanta and includes expert content on different infection or event types, as well as antibiotic stewardship.
view more »HHS Updates Targets for Reducing Health Care-Associated Infections
Oct. 25, 2016 ||The targets aim to significantly reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections, MRSA, Clostridium difficile cases, and other infections by 2020.
view more »Pledge to ‘Break the Chain’ of Infectious Diseases
Oct. 17, 2016 ||Each year, APIC sponsors International Infection Prevention Week to highlight the importance of infection prevention in improving patient safety.
view more »CDC, FDA Issue Alert on Potential Heater-Cooler Contamination
Oct. 13, 2016 ||Stӧckert 3T heater-cooler devices used during cardiopulmonary bypass procedures might have been contaminated with M. Chimaera in the manufacturing process.
view more »CDC: Include Antibiotic Stewardship in Infectious Disease Guidelines
Sept. 27, 2016 ||The recommendations, developed by the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, aim to optimize treatment and minimize adverse consequences.
view more »CDC Sepsis Resources Underscore Hospitals’ Critical Role
Aug. 23, 2016 ||In a Vital Signs report ahead of Sepsis Awareness Month, in September, CDC highlights resources and events aimed at reducing sepsis.
view more »Recall of Products Linked to B. cepacia Expanded
Aug. 11, 2016 ||The voluntary recall now applies to all of PharmaTech’s liquid products, including those labeled by Bayshore, Centurion, Major, Metron, Rugby, and Virtus.
view more »CDC Announces $67M To Tackle Antibiotic Resistance
Aug. 2, 2016 ||Funding will support work related to CDC Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative, National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria.
view more »FDA Announces Recall of Product Linked to B. cepacia
July 19, 2016 ||Florida-based PharmaTech issued the voluntary recall of liquid docusate sodium that could be contaminated with B. cepacia, an antibiotic-resistant bacteria linked to an outbreak in five states.
view more »Gain an in-depth understanding on how to use the AHRQ Quality Indicators to improve quality and safety of care at your hospital.
view more »CDC Awards $26M for Patient Safety Research
June 28, 2016 ||The funding was distributed as part of the Prevention Epicenters Program, which aims to develop and test new approaches to patient safety and infection prevention.
view more »CDC, FDA Investigate Multistate B. cepacia Outbreak
June 27, 2016 ||CDC has received multiple reports of Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia) infection clusters in pediatric intensive care units.
view more »The updates aim to reduce incidence of infections, inappropriate use of antibiotics, and discriminatory behavior by health care providers.
view more »CDC Calls on Hospitals To Fight Rising Legionnaires’ Disease
June 7, 2016 ||CDC's June Vital Signs finds that the number of U.S. residents with Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever increased 286 percent from 2000 to 2014.
view more »PENTAX Issues New Duodenoscope Reprocessing Instructions
Feb. 25, 2016 ||New instructions are validated by the FDA to ensure they meet proper guidelines to avoid transmission of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
view more »CDC Opens Registration for Annual NHSN Training
Jan. 12, 2016 ||No-fee course, Feb. 29 to March 4 in Atlanta, to focus on January 2016 updates to the NHSN patient safety component manual.
view more »CMS Begins Infection Control Surveys in Hospitals, Nursing Homes
Jan. 12, 2016 ||Educational surveys to help CMS determine best ways to assess infection control regulations for hospitals, nursing homes, and care transitions. Surveys to begin in FY 2016 for nursing homes and in FY 2017 for hospitals.
view more »CDC: Monitoring Vital to Limiting Spread of CRE
Dec. 9, 2015 ||CDC report outlines the need for monitoring of CRE and related antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
view more »Endoscope Reprocessors Recalled by Custom Ultrasonics
Nov. 17, 2015 ||FDA cites violations of federal law that could result in an increased risk of infection transmission by company's equipment.
view more »Dirty Endoscopes Ranks First on 2016 Health Hazards List
Nov. 13, 2015 ||New report from ECRI Institute also lists failure to respond to clinical alarms, unsafe injection practices, and insufficient training among top hazards.
view more »CDC to Award Hospitals for Improved Blood Clot Prevention
Nov. 6, 2015 ||Initiative seeks to strengthen healthcare-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention, raise awareness of successful strategies, and recognize investment in VTE prevention.
view more »Patient Engagement is Critical to Infection Prevention
Oct. 19, 2015 ||International Infection Prevention Week, Oct. 18-24, raises awareness of patient and family engagement, hand hygiene in infection prevention and patient safety
view more »CDC, CMS Emphasize Accurate NHSN Reporting
Oct. 7, 2015 ||Agencies say anecdotal reports of intentional nonreporting of infection data have prompted them to emphasize the importance of accurate reporting through strict adherence to NHSN definitions.
view more »Essential Hospitals Named New CDC Prevention Epicenters
Oct. 7, 2015 ||The prevention epicenters will identify innovative ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in health care facilities. University of Utah and the University of Illinois - Chicago join Cook County Health & Hospital System as essential hospital participants.
view more »Device Reprocessing Recommendations Updated
Oct. 5, 2015 ||CDC and FDA remove language from guidelines that requires health care facilities to verify that vendors involved in maintaining, cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing reusable medical devices are certified by the manufacturer.
view more »Members Defy Uneven Progress in Fight Against Sepsis
Sept. 1, 2015 ||We're making progress in the fight against sepsis - and essential hospitals are doing their part - but we still have much work left to do.
view more »CMS Extends Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Deadline for HAIs
Aug. 12, 2015 ||Extension to Aug. 28 applies only to quality reporting on health care-associated infections (HAIs), not clinical data submissions through QualityNet.
view more »Vital Signs report recommends collaboration between public health departments and health care facilities to stop antibiotic resistance, promote infection control.
view more »Reducing Sepsis, Saving Lives
Aug. 3, 2015 ||Webinar on reducing sepsis through early detection, patient and family engagement, and evidence-based management
view more »CDC Warns Hospitals, Long-Term Care Facilities about Listeria Risk
April 22, 2015 ||Information suggests connection between infections and hospital consumption of Blue Bell ice cream products
view more »New HAI Tracking Tool Will Help Hospitals Better Target Prevention
April 7, 2015 ||The CDC has added a tool to the NHSN that will rank hospital facilities and units by HAI rate so staff can see areas most in need of help.
view more »CDC Issues Protocol for Testing Duodenoscopes for Bacteria
March 12, 2015 ||Announcement follows recent "superbug" outbreaks at two Los Angeles hospitals that occurred without identified lapses of infection control
view more »Maricopa Targets Zero HAIs by Going ‘Back to Basics’
Sept. 2, 2014 ||Using a diligent campaign of education, communication, and process changes aimed at reducing hospital-acquired infections, Maricopa Integrated Health System improved patient safety, reduced the incidence of infection, and shortened patients’ length of stay.
view more »Easily Engage Leadership to Create Accountability and Decrease Hospital-Acquired Infections
May 28, 2014 ||To gain control of an HAC that had plagued Jackson Health System for nearly two decades, the hospital began sending weekly emails to hospital leaders regarding the state of the HAC and attempted interventions. As aresult, the number of patients acquiring the HAC drastically dropped.
view more »Association Applauds Patient Safety Accomplishments
May 7, 2014 ||America's Essential Hospitals joins the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in recognizing the recent accomplishments of hospital engagement networks and other safety and quality initiatives. Federal officials announced May 7 that the initiatives have decreased patient harm by 9 percent and readmissions by 8 percent.
view more »Essential Hospitals Make Hand Hygiene a Priority
May 5, 2014 ||Recognizing its importance, many member hospitals have taken steps to improve hand hygiene among their staff, including by launching handwashing campaigns or by adopting tools to track compliance.
view more »Reduce Infections, Save Money with Hand Hygiene
April 30, 2014 ||MetroHealth's team-based Wash-In, Wash-Out program boosts hand hygiene compliance among staff and reduces hospital-acquired infections.
view more »Report: MD Dress Code Can Help Curb Infection Spread
Feb. 3, 2014 ||Hospitals should encourage physicians to use a certain dress code to reduce the risk of spreading hospital-acquired infections, according to new expert guidance.
view more »CMS Awards America’s Essential Hospitals Third Year for Initiative to Reduce Harm, Readmissions
Jan. 30, 2014 ||The federal Partnership for Patients initiative will support for a third year the association's Essential Hospitals Engagement Network (EHEN), one of 26 such networks nationally working to reduce nine hospital-acquired conditions by 40 percent and 30-day readmissions by 20 percent by the end of 2014.
view more »How to Improve Outcomes After Mechanical Ventilation
Dec. 4, 2013 ||Prevent complications by implementing the ABCDE Bundle
view more »Extension applies to data submitted to Medicare inpatient quality reporting program
view more »CLABSI: New Uses for Chlorhexidine Gluconate
July 16, 2013 ||Silvia Munoz-Price, MD, an epidemiologist at Jackson Memorial Hospital, discussed how using applications of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) has affected CLABSI rates in her institution. Jamie St. Clair RN, MS, and Brenda Vermillion, RN, with The Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center reviewed how certain blood culture techniques and environmental decontamination, along with CHG bathing,
view more »Beyond the ICU: Implementing CAUTI Prevention Strategies
May 14, 2013 ||Hear findings, common barriers, and results of the Bladder Bundle Program
view more »Reviewing Colorectal SSI Best Practices
April 16, 2013 ||Surgical site infection coding challenges and strategies to prevent colorectal SSIs
view more »Vanquishing VAP
Feb. 12, 2013 ||Review VAP interventions, run charts, and key driver diagrams
view more »Clamping Down on CLABSI: Eliminating Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections
Jan. 15, 2013 ||Maricopa explained how their burn center slashed CLABSIs
view more »MetroHealth Cuts Harm with ‘Wash-In, Wash-Out’
Jan. 9, 2013 ||The Cleveland hospital achieved notable reductions in hospital-acquired infections through a program that deployed four teams to manage drivers of hand hygiene compliance.
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