Our Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program collaborated with the Organization of Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) to provide a day long Arizona Dental Infection Prevention Collaborative. The collaborative, held September 29th, brought together about 100 Arizona dental providers to learn new evidence-based practices in preventing infections and reducing harm. This training event provided education to infection [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
This Spring marks 10 years since Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) arrived on the global public health scene. It started as a mystery illness in SE Asia- without name, origin, or cure in February of 2003. The CDC immediately began working with the World Health Organization to investigate the outbreak. Public health scientists across the globe [...]
Our Licensing team routinely analyzes the most frequent and important deficiencies that we observe and posts the data on our website. We use the data to help educate the folks that we license… and to identify good topics for provider training and technical assistance (public health interventions). For example, our medical facilities licensing team has found that infection control [...]
Many of you have probably seen the signs around town about the Tattoo Expo that is happening this weekend in Phoenix. Tattoos have been growing in popularity over the past decade, but that doesn't mean they’re completely safe. Recently there was a recall of tattoo ink because the ink was contaminated with an unusual (and stubborn) bacteria [...]
Awhile back, our epidemiology and licensing team of disease detectives including Jason Lempp, Cara Christ, Vinita Oberoi, Jessica Rigler, Ken Komatsu, Kathy McCanna, Connie Belden, Ken Komatsu, and Shoana Anderson learned of a severe case of a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) through our 24-hour disease reporting system. Our team quickly contacted the county public health department which immediately began an [...]
CDC has developed new and easy-to-use resources for preventing infections in outpatient treatment facilities. The Infection Prevention Guide and Prevention Checklist is posted on the new CDC website for outpatient care facilities.
Some of the best infection control experts are laying out the plan on how to fight Healthcare-Associated Infections in the next decade. The International Conference on HAIs just wrapped up in Atlanta – it marked the first time that four leading scientific organizations committed to infection prevention are working together to further a scientific and [...]
