APIC Issues Statement on Need for Increased Infection Prevention Measures in Ambulatory Care Settings

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http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/hotnews/infection-prevention-in-outpatient-\

facilities.html

APIC Issues Statement on Need for Increased Infection Prevention Measures in

Ambulatory Care Settings

01/06/2009

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)

has issued a statement from Kathy Warye, CEO of APIC, in conjunction with an

article being published in the January issue of the ls of Internal Medicine

about outbreaks of hepatitis B and C in outpatient clinics nationwide. The

outbreaks are linked to unsafe injection practices. In the statement Warye

addresses the need for increased infection prevention measures in outpatient

settings and also APIC’s work with HONOReform, a national coalition formed to

bring a halt to unsafe needle practices in outpatient centers. APIC is providing

educational resources and expertise to this effort spearheaded by a hepatitis C

survivor. As this year progresses, APIC will play an increasingly active role in

monitoring legislation and educating the profession about safe injection

practices.

Warye’s statement is as follows: “A review article appearing in this month’s

issue of the ls of Internal Medicine identified 33 outbreaks of hepatitis B

or C virus infection in U.S. outpatient healthcare settings during the past 10

years caused by unsafe injection practices. This comes on the heels of a highly

publicized outbreak in Nevada in which 40,000 people were notified of their

possible risk of hepatitis C due to improper use of syringes at a Las Vegas

endoscopy clinic. Unsafe injection practices have also been cited at

free-standing centers in Nebraska, New York, Michigan and North Carolina,

needlessly exposing hundreds of thousands of patients to life-threatening

infections.”

Warye continues, “As the nation’s largest infection prevention organization,

APIC is very concerned by the mounting number of cases in which clinicians in

ambulatory care settings failed to follow safe injection practices, causing

outbreaks of serious infections and endangering the lives of patients. These

outbreaks were preventable and should never have occurred. Consumers seek

healthcare services to get better and should not be exposed to unnecessary risk.

To raise awareness of the risks and ensure that clinicians understand the basics

of safe injection practice, APIC is participating in HONOReform, a national

coalition formed to bring a halt to unsafe needle practices in outpatient

centers. HONOReform was founded by McNight, a breast cancer survivor who

received chemotherapy at a Freemont, Neb. ambulatory care clinic and was

infected with hepatitis C because the clinic reused syringes. APIC is providing

educational resources and expertise. With an increasing amount of care being

delivered in outpatient settings, more patients will be put at risk unless

clinicians are adequately educated and consistently adhere to infection

prevention measures. Clinics should also be concerned about new and more

virulent pathogens, such as MRSA, which can be transmitted in outpatient

settings and take a hard look at how they are addressing infection prevention

overall.”

Warye adds further, “APIC offers a host of resources including Webinars,

newsletters and a Guide to Infection Control in Ambulatory Care. APIC’s

evidence-based elimination guides translate CDC guidelines into practice.”

Source: APIC

[Guest guest]

http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/hotnews/infection-prevention-in-outpatient-\

facilities.html

APIC Issues Statement on Need for Increased Infection Prevention Measures in

Ambulatory Care Settings

01/06/2009

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)

has issued a statement from Kathy Warye, CEO of APIC, in conjunction with an

article being published in the January issue of the ls of Internal Medicine

about outbreaks of hepatitis B and C in outpatient clinics nationwide. The

outbreaks are linked to unsafe injection practices. In the statement Warye

addresses the need for increased infection prevention measures in outpatient

settings and also APIC’s work with HONOReform, a national coalition formed to

bring a halt to unsafe needle practices in outpatient centers. APIC is providing

educational resources and expertise to this effort spearheaded by a hepatitis C

survivor. As this year progresses, APIC will play an increasingly active role in

monitoring legislation and educating the profession about safe injection

practices.

Warye’s statement is as follows: “A review article appearing in this month’s

issue of the ls of Internal Medicine identified 33 outbreaks of hepatitis B

or C virus infection in U.S. outpatient healthcare settings during the past 10

years caused by unsafe injection practices. This comes on the heels of a highly

publicized outbreak in Nevada in which 40,000 people were notified of their

possible risk of hepatitis C due to improper use of syringes at a Las Vegas

endoscopy clinic. Unsafe injection practices have also been cited at

free-standing centers in Nebraska, New York, Michigan and North Carolina,

needlessly exposing hundreds of thousands of patients to life-threatening

infections.”

Warye continues, “As the nation’s largest infection prevention organization,

APIC is very concerned by the mounting number of cases in which clinicians in

ambulatory care settings failed to follow safe injection practices, causing

outbreaks of serious infections and endangering the lives of patients. These

outbreaks were preventable and should never have occurred. Consumers seek

healthcare services to get better and should not be exposed to unnecessary risk.

To raise awareness of the risks and ensure that clinicians understand the basics

of safe injection practice, APIC is participating in HONOReform, a national

coalition formed to bring a halt to unsafe needle practices in outpatient

centers. HONOReform was founded by McNight, a breast cancer survivor who

received chemotherapy at a Freemont, Neb. ambulatory care clinic and was

infected with hepatitis C because the clinic reused syringes. APIC is providing

educational resources and expertise. With an increasing amount of care being

delivered in outpatient settings, more patients will be put at risk unless

clinicians are adequately educated and consistently adhere to infection

prevention measures. Clinics should also be concerned about new and more

virulent pathogens, such as MRSA, which can be transmitted in outpatient

settings and take a hard look at how they are addressing infection prevention

overall.”

Warye adds further, “APIC offers a host of resources including Webinars,

newsletters and a Guide to Infection Control in Ambulatory Care. APIC’s

evidence-based elimination guides translate CDC guidelines into practice.”

Source: APIC