07/25/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 07/25/2024 07:03
In recent years, the global healthcare landscape has faced numerous challenges posed by high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs). These diseases, such as Ebola, SARS and COVID-19, rapidly spread and have a significant impact on public health. Hospitals play a critical role in managing and containing these outbreaks. Effective July 2024, The Joint Commission revised its Infection Prevention Standards to include HCIDs. Here are five essential strategies that hospitals can adopt to have systemized prevention and measurements in place to comply with the new standards for HCIDs and ensure effective response and patient safety.
1. Establish an infectious disease task force: To effectively respond to HCIDs, hospitals should establish a multidisciplinary infectious disease task force with representatives from infection prevention, emergency management, nursing, pharmacy, laboratory and administration. The task force should be responsible for developing and implementing the hospital's preparedness plan, coordinating response efforts and ensuring ongoing education and training.
2. Develop a comprehensive preparedness plan: A well-defined preparedness plan is crucial for hospitals to effectively respond to HCIDs. This plan should include:
3. Enhance infection prevention measures: To prevent the spread of HCIDs within the hospital, robust infection prevention measures are crucial. Hospitals should:
4. Collaborate with public health agencies: Close collaboration with local, state and national public health agencies is essential for effective HCID preparedness.
5. Conduct regular drills and exercises: Regular drills and exercises help hospitals evaluate their preparedness and identify areas for improvement. Examples include:
Preparation is key to effectively managing and responding to HCIDs in hospitals, helping to strengthen their response capabilities and ensure the safety of patients and healthcare workers. By prioritizing HCID preparedness, hospitals can play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of future outbreaks and safeguarding public health.
Diane Cullen, an accreditation advisor, is a nurse with over 25 years of experience in infection prevention and quality/performance improvement. Cullen earned an MSN in Population-based Infection Control and Prevention and an MBA in Healthcare Administration. She also is certified in infection control. Cullen has worked with The Joint Commission as both an associate director in standards interpretation and as a field surveyor in the hospital and ambulatory programs and recently joined Vizient. Cullen is passionate about patient safety and collaborating with healthcare organizations to facilitate their goals of delivering excellent patient care.