Current Trends and Future Prospects in Infection Control: Quality Management and Healthcare Outcomes


	Stephen Weber, MD, MS Assistant Professor of Medicine Section of Infectious Diseases Medical Director of Infection Control and Clinical Quality University of Chicago Medical Center Chicago, Illinois New Strategies in Evidence-Based Infection Control


	Stuart H. Cohen, MD Professor of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases University of California Davis School of Medicine Clinical Director Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control University of California Davis Health System Sacramento, California Antimicrobial Stewardship: Doing the Right Thing

	Donald A. Goldmann, MD Senior Associate in Infectious Diseases Children's Hospital Boston Professor of Pediatrics Havard Medical School Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases Harvard School of Public Health Boston, Massachusetts Senior Vice President Insitute for Healthcare Improvement Cambridge, Massachusetts Translating Evidence and Guidelines into High Impact Improvement Initiatives

Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Editorial support and program coordination provided by Global Education Exchange, Inc.

Healthcare-associated infections, particularly those caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria continue to be a clinical challenge as well as an administrative and management dilemma. These infections are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients and add considerably to the overall cost of care. Infection control measures offer an opportunity to prevent the spread of bacteria among patients in hospitals, and antimicrobial stewardship programs foster the proper use of antimicrobial agents to slow or prevent the selection of resistant organisms.

There is an increasing recognition that the healthcare system in the United States must be transformed so as to provide the best patient care in terms of quality, safety, effectiveness, and equity while minimizing redundancies and unnecessary costs. In response, a number of agencies and professional societies have promoted specific quality initiatives to address these challenges. As a result, institutional infection prevention and control experts, experienced clinicians, and administrative and clinical leaders are faced with a confusing array of guidelines and evidence and may not know how to translate the evidence into practice in order to accomplish dramatic improvement in key infection processes and outcomes.

The purpose of this educational initiative will be to outline the state-of-the-art in antimicrobial stewardship and infection control strategies that can be integrated into everyday practice.

This educational activity is intended for infectious disease specialists, critical care physicians, primary care physicians, internists, and other specialties involved in the treatment of patients at risk for healthcare-associated infections.

Apply recent evidence regarding the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections particularly those caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria
Recognize the use of active surveillance culturing to prevent and control the dissemination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other multi-drug resistant pathogens
Evaluate and manage the healthcare environment infected or colonized healthcare workers to minimize the spread of healthcare-associated infections
Discern the role of antimicrobial use in the development of resistant pathogens and the ability to control their dissemination with appropriate antimicrobial use
Define the components of an antimicrobial stewardship program
Identify key components of clinical practice guidelines and evidence that are most likely to drive major change in rates of adherence to key infection control practices and infection rates
Discuss how to "bundle" key changes and to organize them into a rational, sequenced strategy for improvement in infection control practices and outcomes
Learn application of these concepts to the control of MRSA and C diff transmission and infection