Delivering the Difference recognizes industry professionals who display excellence in building collaborative relationships between infection prevention and environmental services teams in healthcare facilities.
“Strong partnerships between infection prevention and environmental services professionals have tremendous benefits, such as improved patient outcomes, increased efficiencies around processes and reduced costs,” said Hudson Garrett, PhD, vice president of clinical affairs at PDI.
Oakwood Healthcare — an independent, nonprofit healthcare system that includes four hospitals and more than 60 outpatient facilities — was chosen as the winner after its infection preventionist collaborated with the environmental services regional manager and the corporate infection prevention and environmental service teams to address key challenges. Together, the teams established a structured approach that improved environmental hygiene and networking across the entire healthcare system to address poor compliance with routine cleaning of high-touch areas and multi-use equipment, overuse of bleach products and general education deficiencies around product use.
PDI highlighted five initiatives in particular that Oakwood Healthcare successfully implemented that continue to drive positive results for the facility, including:
1. Implementing a recognizable product line that is strategically placed in the appropriate rooms.
2. Installing brackets on mobile and multi-use equipment to promote ease-of-use.
3. Placing educational posters and contact time stickers on all compliance tools to clearly communicate the “what, when and how” of each product
4. Establishing a monthly Infection Control Liaison Program composed of the its infection preventionist, a clinical staff member and an environmental services liaison from every department to share important data and facilitate discussion; and
5. Having both the infection preventionist and environmental services management director attend monthly corporate infection prevention and environmental service meetings
“The impact resulting from collaboration at Oakwood Healthcare is sustainable and transferable, so we’re pleased to share their story and encourage others to work toward similar initiatives,” said Dr. Garrett.
More articles on infection control:
As temperatures rise in the summer, so do common SSIs
Study analyzes prevalence of postoperative Staph joint infections: 5 findings
Just because you are using a disinfectant, doesn’t mean you are disinfecting: The business case for improving infection prevention
