By Healthcare Facilities Today

According to an article on the YottaFire website, a survey published in the November issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, said identifying gaps in infection prevention practices may yield opportunities for improved patient safety.

The American Journal of Infection Control is the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

Ascension Health  conducted a 96-question survey of 71 of its member hospitals to evaluate infection control processes for a range of infections, the article said. 

According to the survey results, the majority of hospitals had infection prevention policies in place for the use of devices, surgery, hand hygiene, and multidrug-resistant organisms. 

“We suggest that individual hospitals evaluate their policies, processes, and practices prior to implementing interventions to establish a baseline for comparative purposes, to reduce infection, and base their action on the gaps identified,” the survey said. “We believe that identifying the gaps and addressing them as a system will help lead to marked improvements in safety for our patients.”

Read the article.