healthcare-associated infections – AZ Dept. of Health Services Director's Blog

Antimicrobial Stewardship in Community Settings
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Antimicrobial Stewardship in Community Settings

General, Preparedness

Antimicrobial Stewardship in Community Settings

By Cara Christ|2017-06-20T09:33:08-07:00June 19th, 2017|General, Preparedness|

Last Sunday our Healthcare-Associated Infections Program and Antimicrobial Stewardship Subcommittee members presented at the 2017 Arizona Pharmacy Association Annual Convention. Their presentation “Antimicrobial Stewardship Focused on Community Settings in Arizona: Ready For Prime-Time” was focused on the following discussions: Global initiatives to improve the use of antibiotics, including programs in the United States Importance of paying attention to antimicrobial stewardship in the [...]

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Arizona Making Progress Against Healthcare-Associated Infections
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Arizona Making Progress Against Healthcare-Associated Infections

Preparedness

Arizona Making Progress Against Healthcare-Associated Infections

By Cara Christ|2017-02-10T09:48:58-07:00March 4th, 2016|Preparedness|

On March 3rd, the CDC released the National and State Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) Progress Report for 2014 National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) data. This annual report provides an update on previous reports, detailing state and national progress towards reducing, and ultimately eliminating, HAIs. The infection types highlighted in the report include Central Line-Associated [...]

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Healthcare Associated Infections Progress Report

By Will Humble|2017-02-10T09:49:43-07:00April 8th, 2014|Licensing|

Healthcare-Associated infections are a major (often preventable) threat to patient safety. Last week the National and State Healthcare Associated Infections Progress Report expanded on previous reports- detailing progress toward the eliminating healthcare-associated infections. The HAI Progress Report found significant reductions for nearly all infections- including in AZ. Central line-associated bloodstream infections and surgical site infections [...]

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Now Hiring – Licensing Assistant Director

By Will Humble|2017-02-10T09:49:45-07:00March 26th, 2014|Licensing|

Once in a while we have a tremendous opportunity for a great leader to join our team, but not very often. We just posted the Assistant Director for Public Health Licensing. The person we’re looking for will be able to take a great team and make it better. This person will be collaborating with partners [...]

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Arizona’s First Ever State Health Assessment

By Will Humble|2017-02-10T09:49:50-07:00February 13th, 2014|General|

Today we published Arizona’s first ever comprehensive State Health Assessment. The objective of the State Health Assessment is to give Arizona’s public health and health care systems a clear tool to help drive future decision-making and resource allocation as we collectively design and implement evidence-based interventions to improve health and wellness outcomes across Arizona. The [...]

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ADVICE Collaborative II: Turning the Tide on Infections

By Will Humble|2017-02-10T09:49:56-07:00January 7th, 2014|Prevention|

Back in 2013 our Licensing team joined with our Infectious Disease Services shop and our Healthcare Associated Infections Advisory Committee to put together a day-long conference aimed at improving infection control practices in our dialysis facilities. The ADVICE collaborative brought together licensed dialysis providers, the dialysis network, federal partners, and public health professionals to find [...]

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Infection Prevention Week

By Will Humble|2017-02-10T09:50:03-07:00October 24th, 2013|Prevention|

This week is International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW), which started in 1986 under a proclamation from President Reagan. For the 4th year in a row, October 20-26, 2013 is Arizona Infection Prevention Week. Since it started, the week has been used to spread awareness about interventions that promote safe healthcare practices and prevention of healthcare-associated infections [...]

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Licensing Collaborative Established as an Evidence-Based Best Practice

By Will Humble|2017-02-10T09:50:11-07:00August 26th, 2013|Licensing|

Our Licensing team routinely analyzes the most frequent and important deficiencies that we observe when we conduct inspections at our licensed facilities. We use the data to help educate the folks that we license… and to identify topics for provider training and technical assistance (public health interventions). For example, our medical facilities licensing team has found that infection control [...]

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Coming Attraction: AZ’s 1st State Health Assessment

By Will Humble|2017-02-10T09:50:11-07:00August 23rd, 2013|General|

Publication of Arizona’s very first State Health Assessment is just around the corner The 2013 Arizona State Health Assessment will use AZ quantitative and qualitative data to assess the public health status of the state. The end product will be a comprehensive summary of the 15 leading health issues that have the greatest impact in Arizona. [...]

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To Decolonize, or Not to Decolonize

By Will Humble|2017-02-10T09:50:23-07:00June 5th, 2013|Prevention|

… that is the question- at least when it comes to whether to take standard measures to decolonize intensive care patients with antibiotic ointments in their nose to remove Staphylococcus bugs. Hospital associated infections are a critical public health and healthcare cost problem. While we’re losing ground in our fight against obesity- we’re making progress [...]

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