The plight of hospital infection programs: Doing more with less
APIC today released a survey of nearly 2,000 infection control practitioners that was conducted in March 2009. The results are alarming and serve to corroborate what many of us have suspected--resources for hospital infection prevention programs are declining.
Importantly, 41% of those surveyed reported reductions in staffing of infection prevention programs. This has resulted in reduction of infection surveillance by 24% of programs, reduction of process auditing by 20%, decreased environmental and walking rounds by 42%, and decreased educational programs by 38%.
Over half of those surveyed reported that regulatory requirements and reporting mandates make it harder for them to focus on infection prevention. Perhaps The Joint Commission and other regulatory bodies should think more about the adverse unintended consequences of their ever increasing mandates.
Importantly, 41% of those surveyed reported reductions in staffing of infection prevention programs. This has resulted in reduction of infection surveillance by 24% of programs, reduction of process auditing by 20%, decreased environmental and walking rounds by 42%, and decreased educational programs by 38%.
Over half of those surveyed reported that regulatory requirements and reporting mandates make it harder for them to focus on infection prevention. Perhaps The Joint Commission and other regulatory bodies should think more about the adverse unintended consequences of their ever increasing mandates.
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