Surgical Site Infection Prevention: Is there a place for the Infection Preventionist on the Surgical Care Team?

Healthcare Education, Infection Prevention, SSI

Eloquest Healthcare is excited to welcome Gwen Borlaug, MPH, CIC, FAPIC to the Eloquest Healthcare Blog! Gwen worked at the Wisconsin Division of Public Health (DPH) as the Director of the Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Program and as an infection prevention epidemiologist. She launched a statewide public health initiative to reduce surgical site infections, using a surgical…

Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureous contamination of surgical wounds: Are there effective interventions?

Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureous contamination of surgical wounds: Are there effective interventions?

Infection Prevention, SSI

Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) in the US SSIs are the most common and most costly type of hospital‐acquired infection, occurring in an estimated 160,000 to 300,000 patients in the US each year.[1] SSIs increase morbidity and mortality, result in longer hospital stays and substantially increased cost of care. In fact, it has been demonstrated that…

Surgical Scars: Prevalence and Importance of Prevention

Healthcare Education, Infection Prevention, Mastisol Liquid Adhesive, Surgical Scars

Each year in the US more than 50 million surgeries are performed.1 Treatment of resulting surgical scars has driven decades of research, and it is estimated that in the US $20 billion per year is spent on scar treatment and management.2 Patients have made it clear that they are highly concerned about scarring after surgery…

MARSI Guidelines on Safe Adhesive Removal

Detachol Adhesive Remover, Healthcare Education, Infection Prevention, MARSI

Since the “pay for performance” era began, hospital acquired conditions (HAC) have deservedly received a great deal of attention from hospitals, healthcare providers, payors, patients and families. For critical medical devices that pose danger to patients if they are dislodged [like vascular access devices, (VADs)], safety requires proper securement. Poor securement of VADs increases the…

Getting Ahead of HAIs: Quick Observation Tools for HAI Prevention

CLABSI, Healthcare Education, Infection Prevention

In October of 2018, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) working together with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a series of Quick Observation Tools (QUOTs) to assist healthcare facilities in their infection prevention initiatives.[1] The tools, available for free download here, enable rapid assessment and remediation…