JOINT COMMISSION RESOURCES EDUCATION

Infection Prevention and Control Audio Conferences

Data Mining for Infection Prevention
March 4, 2009
Featured speaker:  Thanh Dao, MS, CIC, Infection Control Practitioner, St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System, Pearland, TX
Data mining has developed as an important tool in healthcare for converting immense amounts of data into powerful information to support surveillance, detect and assist with investigation of microbial clusters, and provide data for research. With a laboratory interface to a current infection control database, a system capable of data mining can be created. This session will discuss system requirements and key elements required for data mining, demonstrate a practical cost effective method to data mining, and show how data mining can assist in investigation of microbial clusters and prevent costly outbreaks.\

Heightened Surgical Site Infection Surveillance
March 11, 2009
Featured Speaker:  Paul Thomas, RN, BSN, CIC, Infection Prevention and Control Coordinator, Saint Claire’s Hospital and the Diagnostic Treatment Center, Weston, WI
Saint Claire’s Hospital (SCH) promotes the reduction of healthcare associated surgical site infections through a comprehensive approach to SSI surveillance. With the implementation of this SSI prevention program, SCH has seen a decrease from 2.6% to < 0.8%. Join Mr. Paul Thomas as he details the SCH program and opportunities to succeed in the prevention of SSIs.
 
Flash Sterilization: Current Issues and Updates
March 18, 2009
Featured Speaker:  William A. Rutala, PhD, MPH, Director, Hospital Epidemiology, Occupational Health and Safety Program, UNC Health Care System and Professor of Medicine, UNC School of Medicine
Dr. Rutala will review the principles and practices associated with sterilization and flash sterilization in healthcare facilities. This includes: cleaning, packaging, minimum cycle times, and monitoring the effectiveness of the cycles. Additionally, the controversies associated with flash sterilization will be considered.

HAI Allied Task Force
March 25, 2009
Featured Speaker:  Kelly Podgorny, RN, MS, CPHQ, Project Director, Division of Standards and Survey Methods, The Joint Commission
The HAI-Allied Task Force is composed of national health care leaders who joined together to address HAIs by developing the Compendium of Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections in Acute Care Hospitals. The compendium focuses on the following six common HAIs:
   • Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) 
   • Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) 
   • Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) 
   • Surgical site infections (SSI) 
   • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) 
   • Clostridim difficile-infections (CDI)

Plan to join us for an in-depth look at implementation focused strategies and research in a practical, concise format designed to help you detect and prevent HAIs.