Infection control and prevention is on every health care provider’s mind these days. What better way to close out the first quarter than by taking a deeper look at tips and advice from providers just like you? As you close the book on February, look at
Provider’s latest
issue to see what policies are here to stay.
“We probably will keep cohorting and isolation procedures for future outbreaks of infection, including the flu,” says Francine Rainer, chief clinical officer at PruittHealth.
Communication practices that have worked during COVID will also endure and help avoid mishaps arising from misinformation. It all starts with fighting back with facts, say providers. “We know people may be seeking different sources of information and interpreting the data differently,” says Anna Fischer, director of quality and education for Hilcrest Health Services. “We have to find out why they’re thinking the way they are and then engage in true conversation.”
One way to start true conversations is to use video monitors in facilities to post news updates and frequently asked questions and answers based on facts.
In the midst of tragedies such as COVID, Americans inevitably grow and evolve to become stronger. Providers say there have been lights in the darkness. One of those is that infection control is all about teamwork, with everyone in the building playing a part, says Rainer. More interest has grown in advance care planning, with more patients and families willing to discuss care goals, and now more than ever, there has been a unique spotlight on mental health.
Read more about the silver linings of COVID and take another look at infection control in the February
issue of
Provider.