Monitoring and Evaluating Infection Prevention Programs for Environmental Risk

World class patient care relies on proper evaluations and diagnostics to better treat the patient, yet in the environment, this is often not the case. As an industry, we often fail to properly evaluate and identify the specific environmental risks.

Current research and studies show the significant impact the environment and outdated cleaning and disinfecting practices have on healthcare acquired infections (HAI’s). One of the key challenges in the industry is that the cleaning and disinfection of surfaces has not been a focus area in terms of risk assessment. Historically, this has been mostly a visual self-audit practice which can result in subpar and flawed reporting. An Environmental Risk Assessment focuses on key environmental areas: current cleaning and disinfecting processes, training and development, regulatory compliance, reporting, staffing, hand hygiene, PPE, and blacklight/biological testing. It will identify areas of success as well as opportunities for improvement within your current program. The objective is a multidisciplinary assessment which addresses not only what is being done, but also by whom, as all staff have a role in environmental infection prevention. The outcomes of the environmental risk assessment become the baseline for creating a tailored program that must include the most current research and technical innovations for faster, safer, and more effective solutions.

This program will review implementing comprehensive environmental infection prevention programs based on an effective audit. This approach is very important as current research prove healthcare facilities will significantly reduce the risk of environmental infections, save lives, and reduce expenses.

Tuesday February 13, 2024

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Approved for 1.5 Hours of ACHE Qualifying Education Credit.

Learning Objectives: 

-Understand the top areas of the environment that contribute to healthcare acquired infections (HAI’s).

-Identify and prioritize key risks within their environment that could be contributing to HAI’s

-Identify solutions to decrease the risk of environmental contamination and acquisition of HAI’s

Speaker:

John LaRochelle is the President of Lighthouse Environmental Infection Prevention.  He is an international speaker, recognized thought leader and subject matter expert in environmental infection prevention (EIP). He serves as a Scientific Advisory Board Member for the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) as well as TIPS (The Infection Prevention Strategy). His 40 years in environmental infection prevention has positioned John as one of the top experts in this field.

Events are locked in with our speakers/venues months prior to open registration. Therefore, cancelled registrations that are made for events in less than 30 days are ineligible for a refund. Those cancelled > 30 days from the event will be refunded 50%