Back in 2013, our Licensing team partnered with our Infectious Disease Services team and the Healthcare Associated Infections Advisory Committee to put together a day-long conference aimed at improving infection control practices.
The ADVICE Collaborative brought together licensed dialysis providers, the dialysis network, federal partners and public health professionals to find new ways to promote infection control, build relationships, and identify how public health can assist our providers. Our collaborative was identified as a best Practice Pilot and featured at the CMS Conference Roadmap to Eliminate HAI: 2013 Action Plan Conference.
From the collaborative, the End-Stage Renal Disease subcommittee of our Healthcare Associated Infections Advisory Group was developed and have been working on strategies identified during the meeting. The subcommittee is made up of individuals consists of dialysis providers, public health professionals, and experts in infection control. They are working on all kinds of projects including staff/patient infection control, identifying best practices, vaccine educational projects, identifying new resources, and providing onsite technical assistance.
This year will mark the third annual collaborative and is scheduled for Friday, June 19, 2015, to be held at the Desert Willow Conference Center. It will be another day long conference focused on the needs identified during the last meeting and updating partners on the progress that has been made. This year, the collaborative will also introduce some newly identified needs, including sharing best practices for discharge planning and behavioral care strategies. Breakout sessions will look at improving clinical outcomes through good assessment and documentation, best practices for infection control, and the importance of a whole team approach for discharge planning and mental health first aid.
Continuing education credits will be offered for nursing professionals, physicians, certified health education specialists, nursing home healthcare administrators, social workers and behavioral health professionals. Registration is open if you would like to join the collaborative.
