Infection prevention and control goes well beyond hospital walls

For every 31 patients hospitalized on any given day in this country, one patient will have at least one health care-associated infection, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Yet as big of a challenge remains to prevent infections in U.S. hospitals, they are far from the only site of care in which patients can and do acquire infections. That is why the AMA, as part of Project Firstline,  offered expert advice for physicians and other health professionals in a variety of settings on what they can and should be doing to boost infection prevention and control (IPC).

You can explore the “Building Blocks of Infection Prevention & Control Series” CME modules detailed below and hosted by Erica Kaufman West, MD, director of infectious diseases at the AMA. These CME modules are enduring material and designated by the AMA for varying amounts of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™️. 

1. “Flexing Your IPC Muscles in Acute Rehabilitation Facilities.”

   1. A panel of experts—guests Priya Mhatre, MD, and Leslie Rydberg, MD, along with AMA Project Firstline faculty James Lewis, MD, MPH, discussed how acute rehabilitation facilities can implement IPC practices to meet their patients’ unique needs. In this CME module, you will learn about guidelines and tools specific to this facility setting and discover how effective these practices have a positive impact on patient outcomes.

2. “Wrapping Your Mind Around IPC in Behavioral Health Facilities.”

   1. Behavioral health facilities can face unique IPC challenges because group therapy and social interactions are an important component of patients’ treatment plans, and IPC requirements such as isolation or masking can be detrimental to the patients.
   2. This entry features insights from guest expert Dr. Jeffrey Fetter, along with AMA Project Firstline faculty Catherine Passaretti, MD, and Rama Thyagarajan, MD. They discussed how to approach some of these challenges, including COVID-19 testing prior to admission and ill health care workers.                         

3. “Operation IPC in Ambulatory Surgery Centers.”

   1. Ambulatory surgery centers have inherent challenges with IPC, given that they are typically physically separate from an acute-care hospital, have limited contact with infection preventionists and often have independent owners separate from a local health system.
   2. Guest expert Rebecca Battjes, MPH, and AMA Project Firstline faculty Priya Nori, MD, offered an in-depth case discussion and detailed how an infection preventionist can evaluate and investigate a possible outbreak at an ambulatory surgery center.

4. “Bringing the IPC Message Home in Long-Term Care Facilities.”

   1. With patients living in these facilities full time and often having medical complexities, post-acute long-term care facilities face unique IPC challenges.
   2. Guest expert Leslie Eber, MD, CMD, and AMA Project Firstline faculty Drs. Nori and Margaret Fitzpatrick, MD, discussed how to approach some of these challenges, including preparing for infection outbreaks, talking with patients loved ones about infectious disease concerns and promoting prevention through vaccination.

The final two entries in the series are yet to come. Click below to learn more and register.

• “Filtering Through IPC Information in Outpatient Dialysis Facilities,” starts today at 11 a.m. CDT.
• “Little Patients, Big IPC Challenges in Pediatric Facilities,” goes live June 18, noon CDT.

The modules are part of the AMA Ed Hub™️, an online learning platform that brings together high-quality CME, maintenance of certification, and educational content from trusted sources, all in one place—with activities relevant to you, automated credit tracking, and reporting for some states and specialty boards. 

Learn more about AMA CME accreditation.

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