Here are six things ASCs should do internally and externally to further perfect their already existing infection control programs.
1. Educate patients. Although there is a myriad of best practices for physicians and staff members to adopt to prevent infections, this front-line defense should be supplemented by patient education. Making infection control part of the patient's responsibilities can help reduce the risk of infection occurring in your ASC.
Renea Goode, director of nursing at The Surgery Center in Oxford, Al., says patient education first takes place at the physicians' offices, where they are given a packet of information on what they can do to reduce the risk of surgical site infection. "Posters are also made available all throughout the patient care areas," she says. "It helps patients recognize when they do in fact have an infection and how to report it."
2. Educate physicians. Donna Smith, president of Alabama Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and administrator at The Surgery Center, says physician newsletters are one way to help keep ASC physicians cognizant of the most up-to-date infection control issues. The newsletter is distributed quarterly, and infection control information within the newsletter can vary.
"The newsletter can talk about a variety of topics, including prophylactic antibiotic compliance, what our ASC is doing to reduce patient's risk of SSI and, depending on the time of year, how to prevent the flu," Ms. Fair says. "The key is making sure the information is timely."
3. Appoint a certified or well-trained reprocessing staff member. Effective reprocessing of surgical instruments is a key component to great infection control, so ASCs would benefit immensely from establishing a point-person who spearheads education on reprocessing and stays up-to-date on reprocessing-related news and regulations. Ms. Goode says this staff member doesn't necessarily have to be certified, although certification programs are available. She recommends employing a certified central reprocessing technician, but experience can be an acceptable substitute for certification.
4. Ensure your infection preventionist is accessible. Miranda Fair, infection control coordinator at The Surgery Center, says communication between ASC infection preventionists and the rest of the facility is absolutely key in infection control. In order to enhance open communication, ASC staff members and physicians must feel comfortable confronting the infection preventionist with any questions or concerns.
"The infection preventionists should be able to communicate with physicians about any post-operative infections, make themselves available to the physicians and promote that ongoing communication," she says. "There has to be that comfort level."
5. Attend workshops. As quality and infection control becomes more closely scrutinized in the healthcare industry ASCs should take advantage of educational opportunities presented by federal and local organizations. Ms. Smith says the Alabama Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers hosted an all-day workshop in partnership with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. The workshop was geared toward empowering new infection preventionists with education on topics such as hand hygiene compliance monitoring, how to recognize surgical site infection and correct sterile reprocessing procedures.
"The workshop is really for those who want to expand their infection control programs or those who may be new to the ASC industry," Ms. Smith says. "We hosted another workshop in which we invited the state CMS inspectors for an all-day workshop on the new conditions for coverage and life safety issues. These workshops are always very well-received."
6. Network with other ASCs and healthcare providers. Ms. Smith adds that having an ongoing dialogue and constantly networking with other facilities helps ASCs strengthen their ASC challenges. Building external relationships allows ASCs to ask questions or address issues that are commonly shared. By doing so, ideas on strengthening infection control programs can be shared more easily, rather than trying to build best practices from the ground up.
Learn more about Alabama Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers.
Learn more about The Surgery Center.
Internal practices
1. Educate patients. Although there is a myriad of best practices for physicians and staff members to adopt to prevent infections, this front-line defense should be supplemented by patient education. Making infection control part of the patient's responsibilities can help reduce the risk of infection occurring in your ASC.
Renea Goode, director of nursing at The Surgery Center in Oxford, Al., says patient education first takes place at the physicians' offices, where they are given a packet of information on what they can do to reduce the risk of surgical site infection. "Posters are also made available all throughout the patient care areas," she says. "It helps patients recognize when they do in fact have an infection and how to report it."
2. Educate physicians. Donna Smith, president of Alabama Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and administrator at The Surgery Center, says physician newsletters are one way to help keep ASC physicians cognizant of the most up-to-date infection control issues. The newsletter is distributed quarterly, and infection control information within the newsletter can vary.
"The newsletter can talk about a variety of topics, including prophylactic antibiotic compliance, what our ASC is doing to reduce patient's risk of SSI and, depending on the time of year, how to prevent the flu," Ms. Fair says. "The key is making sure the information is timely."
3. Appoint a certified or well-trained reprocessing staff member. Effective reprocessing of surgical instruments is a key component to great infection control, so ASCs would benefit immensely from establishing a point-person who spearheads education on reprocessing and stays up-to-date on reprocessing-related news and regulations. Ms. Goode says this staff member doesn't necessarily have to be certified, although certification programs are available. She recommends employing a certified central reprocessing technician, but experience can be an acceptable substitute for certification.
4. Ensure your infection preventionist is accessible. Miranda Fair, infection control coordinator at The Surgery Center, says communication between ASC infection preventionists and the rest of the facility is absolutely key in infection control. In order to enhance open communication, ASC staff members and physicians must feel comfortable confronting the infection preventionist with any questions or concerns.
"The infection preventionists should be able to communicate with physicians about any post-operative infections, make themselves available to the physicians and promote that ongoing communication," she says. "There has to be that comfort level."
External practices
5. Attend workshops. As quality and infection control becomes more closely scrutinized in the healthcare industry ASCs should take advantage of educational opportunities presented by federal and local organizations. Ms. Smith says the Alabama Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers hosted an all-day workshop in partnership with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. The workshop was geared toward empowering new infection preventionists with education on topics such as hand hygiene compliance monitoring, how to recognize surgical site infection and correct sterile reprocessing procedures.
"The workshop is really for those who want to expand their infection control programs or those who may be new to the ASC industry," Ms. Smith says. "We hosted another workshop in which we invited the state CMS inspectors for an all-day workshop on the new conditions for coverage and life safety issues. These workshops are always very well-received."
6. Network with other ASCs and healthcare providers. Ms. Smith adds that having an ongoing dialogue and constantly networking with other facilities helps ASCs strengthen their ASC challenges. Building external relationships allows ASCs to ask questions or address issues that are commonly shared. By doing so, ideas on strengthening infection control programs can be shared more easily, rather than trying to build best practices from the ground up.
Learn more about Alabama Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers.
Learn more about The Surgery Center.