FRONT AND CENTER
Infectious disease expert: Infection preventionists are “essential” to the COVID-19 response Almost overnight, infection disease experts in the United States went from
equipment appropriately and safely. “It is
obscurity to sought after sources. In some cases, such as Anthony S. Fauci, MD,
also important for IPs to work with hos-
director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, they’ve become
pital leadership to help deliver consistent
household names.
and clear messaging to healthcare workers and patients. With social media and the internet many ‘urban health legends’ can
So too, has the spotlight shifted
a challenge. “We are not working in a con-
rapidly emerge and it is important to mes-
at IDNs and hospitals on the role of
trolled environment – and in many cases,
sage clearly and consistently.”
infection preventionist.
we have to make important decisions
Keith Kaye MD, professor of medicine, division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, and
based on little data and rapidly emerging
Learning, and looking ahead
science,” he said. The basics of IP, and adherence to
Our healthcare system will need to be less
past president of Society for Healthcare
those basics, remain critically important.
reliant on single use infection prevention
Epidemiology of America, said in the fight
Examples of critical IP basics include
items (like n95 masks) in the future, Kaye
against COVID-19, infection prevention-
hand hygiene, appropriate use of airborne,
said. “We will need to have reprocessing
ists, or “IPs” are involved in all essential
droplet and contact precautions, and
alternatives clearly worked out. Hospitals
components for preparation and response.
making certain that healthcare workers are
will also have to consider stockpiling
They are involved in key decision making
aware of how to don and doff protective
more PPE and avoid ‘just in time’ order-
and planning with regards to issues ranging
ing of supplies.”
from PPE supply and use, methods to
We also are too reliant on China for
perform urgent surgery and procedures
many of medical supplies, “and when they
safely, and when necessary, helping to
are dealing with their own pandemic issues,
optimize infection control in field hospitals
our supply chain can be hugely impacted.”
and temporary structures built to manage
Kaye said as much as we tried to learn
overflow of COVID patients. “They are
and prepare after SARS and H1N1, we
also very important with regards to helping
clearly were not prepared for this pan-
with the messaging to patients, the public
demic. “We have faced critical challenges
and healthcare workers.”
with regards to PPE supply, ventilator availability, surge capacity of hospitals, and testing methodologies and supplies.
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Infection prevention in hot spots
Also, public health in some areas was
For many hospitals and health systems
completely overwhelmed even in the early
within what are considered hotspots for
stages of the pandemic – we need to com-
COVID-19 cases, maintaining proper infec-
mit to a stronger public health infrastruc-
tion prevention amid a crisis is undoubtedly
ture as a country moving forward.”
June 2020 | The Journal of Healthcare Contracting
