Infection Prevention & Control News Year in Review (2018)
Another year is under our belt, so let's look back at what happened with infection prevention and control during 2018. In this special edition of the ICCS Infection Prevention & Control Newsletter, find some of the biggest news items from last year along with select ICCS special reports and articles.
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Special Report: Infection Control Under Heightened Scrutiny: 10 Key Reminders — Critical reminders about proper infection prevention and control practices.
Special Report: Watch Out! These Injection Practices Endanger Safety and Compliance — Examples of real-life breaches in safe injection practices.
Article: 10 Common Infection Prevention and Control Deficiency Findings in Healthcare Facilities — Common deficiencies cited by Medicare and/or accreditation surveys across the continuum of care as observed by ICCS consultants.
Joint Commission Citing Any Hand Hygiene Failure — The Joint Commission announced that as of Jan. 1, 2018, surveyors witnessing any failure of healthcare personnel to perform hand hygiene while providing direct patient care will be cited as a deficiency.
Infection Control Standards Challenging Most Joint Commission-Accredited Organizations. In the Joint Commission's report on the top five most challenging requirements for the first half of 2018, an infection control standard holds a spot on the list of many programs.
Infection Prevention and Control Standards Challenge AAAHC-Accredited Organizations — Infection prevention- and control-related standards were among those with high deficiency percentages for organizations accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).
ASC Infection Rates Following Colonoscopy and Endoscopy Higher Than Believed — Rates of infection following colonoscopies and upper-GI endoscopies performed at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are much higher than previously expected, according to a study.
Does Your Organization Have a 'Smart' Infection Control Policy? — Mobile technology has taken on a much greater importance in the delivery of healthcare, bringing with it growing concerns about infection risks associated with smart devices and other handheld devices.
Research Shows Bronchoscope Cleaning Remains Challenging — An Infection Control Today article discussed the difficulty organizations face in eliminating potentially harmful contaminants from used bronchoscopes.
Researchers Warn About Hand Hygiene Risks Associated With Exam Gloves — A study revealed that healthcare personnel regularly fail to perform proper hand hygiene before donning gloves.
Gaps in Infection Prevention and Control at Critical Access Hospitals — Critical access hospitals face significant challenges in their infection prevention and control practices, according to research.
Nearly Three-Quarters of Commonly Used Medical Scopes Tainted by Bacteria — A study showed that more than 70% of reusable medical scopes deemed ready for use on patients tested positive for bacteria at three major U.S. hospitals.
Healthcare Professionals Often Hesitate to Express Hand Hygiene Concerns — A study pointed to a need for stronger efforts toward encouraging healthcare professionals to speak up when observing questionable hand hygiene practices.
Multidrug-Resistant Bacterium Shows Increasing Tolerance to Handwash Alcohols — A study indicated that a multidrug-resistant bacterium has shown increasing tolerance to the alcohols used in handwash disinfectants.
SHEA Issues Hospital Guidance on Contact Precautions for Drug-Resistant Infections — The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) issued new guidance for hospitals concerning when they can safely discontinue contact precautions for patients with multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Study: Facial Protection Helps Reduce Risk of Infection for Endoscopists — The results of a study indicated that endoscopists and assisting staff who do not wear facial protection during procedures are at an elevated risk for exposure to blood and body fluids.
FDA Warns Against Use of 24-Hour Multi-Patient Use Endoscope Connectors— The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued an alert to healthcare providers and facilities advising them against using "24-hour multi-patient use endoscope connectors" because of cross-contamination risk.
ECRI: Device Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization a Top Patient Safety Concern — The ECRI Institute identified "device cleaning, disinfection and sterilization" as a significant patient safety concern in its "2018 Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns for Healthcare Organizations" report.
Joint Commission Revises Infection Control Scoring. The Joint Commission announced it was reevaluating the way it scored high-level disinfection and sterilization.
New SHEA Guidance - Infection Control in Anesthesiology — SHEA, in collaboration with anesthesia societies, released recommendations to improve infection prevention in operating room anesthesia services.
FDA Publishes Infection Control Guidance for Dental Unit Waterlines — FDA published a new webpage discussing the importance of infection control in dental unit waterlines.
Patient Infection Risks Prominent on ECRI Annual List of Health Tech Hazards. ECRI Institute included three potential sources of patient infections on its "2019 Top 10 Health Technology Hazards" list.
Updated Guidance Issued for Management of Hep C — The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the Infectious Diseases Society of America issued updated guidance on the management of hepatitis C.
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