APIC Chicago is a local Chapter of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (APIC). APIC is a multi-disciplinary voluntary international organization with over 10,000 members. The purpose of the organization is to influence, support and improve the quality of healthcare through the practice and management of infection control and the application of epidemiology in all healthcare settings.
APIC Chicago has approximately 200 members. Educational meetings are held at least four times per year with an all day conference held in the fall. The annual business meeting is held the first Wednesday in December. Visit the meetings tab to find out more about local, regional and national educational meetings.
If you would like to learn more about the organization, contact any member of the APIC Chicago Board of Directors or visit the membership section tab.
What's New!
Save The Date!
September 11th
6:30-8PM
MRSA in Healthcare Worker with speaker Dr. Weber
Elmhurst Memorial Hospital
200 Berteau Avenue
Elmhurst |
:: CMS-ProposeHospAcqConditions2009
:: CMS-1390-Proposed Changes to the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems and Fiscal Year 2009 (Display Date: 04/14/2008; Publication Date: 04/30/2008)
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/AcuteInpatientPPS/
April 15, 2008 :: IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM NATIONAL APIC
Dear APIC Member:
A hearing entitled "Healthcare Associated Infections: A Preventable Epidemic" will be held on Wednesday, April 16th at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Government Oversight and Reform.
The committee, chaired by Representative Henry Waxman, will examine the problem of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) and whether the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is providing the leadership necessary to combat this public health threat.
Reade More Here:
March 14, 2008 :: Amendment to IL Control of Tuberculosis Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 696) Illinois Register Citation: 32 Ill. Reg. 4010)
The rules previously required the use of the Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST) as the only test approved for screening for LTBI. The amendment allows the use of a newly developed FDA-approved blood test for the detection of patients with active TB disease or LTBI. Click here to read more
APIC National Convention 2008: Denver Colorado
Register by April 14, 2008 to save on registration fees!
Conference Dates: June 15 – 19
Pre-conferences: June 13 – 14
Exhibition Dates: June 15 – 17
Register Online at www.apic.org
MRSA in Illinois: Descriptive Analysis of Hospital Discharge Data 2002-2006 "Increasing reports and growing public concern about MRSA have prompted IDPH to publish the following study depicting the burden of MRSA infections in Illinois hospitals."
http://www.idph.state.il.us/health/infect/MRSA_Data_02-06.pdf
February 15 :: Chicago Tribune article "Staph infections rising in Illinois: 'Urban phenomenon' spreading throughout rural hospitals now” By Judith Graham
www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-mrsa_15feb15,1,1466221.story
:: OSHA Annual TB fit test requirement: Lisa Tomlinson, APIC Director of Government Affairs, has confirmed that the requirement for ANNUAL FIT TEST (TB) is enforceable on October 1, 2007 despite much effort to change and prevent this requirement.
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Read more here
:: The Governor signed both HB 192 and SB 233 on 8/20/07. What that means is not clear, since the bills are very different in the approach to controlling MDRO’s. As we learn more about the implementation we will share the information. Click here to read the article in the Chicago Tribune.
The IL Hospital Report Card Act became effective March 28, 2007. IHA will establish a website for member questions, and is also offering educational conference calls related to the Hospital Report Card Act. Slides from one of those presentations with a letter from IDPH's Eric Whitaker, MD, MPH.can be accessed here. Read more here
"The Guideline for Isolation Precautions: Preventing Transmission of Infectious Agents in Healthcare Settings 2007" (1.39MB, 219 pages) updates and expands the 1996 Guideline for Isolation Precautions in Hospitals. This guideline can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/gl_isolation.html or http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/pdf/guidelines/Isolation2007.pdf.
This document is associated with the Management of Multidrug-Resistant Organism 2006 PDF (233 KB, 74 page) guideline published last year http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/pdf/ar/MDROGuideline2006.pdf.
To strengthen the collaboration between IDPH and public health partners in efforts to prevent community-associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA), IDPH has published a memo (6/7/07) that includes many useful CA MRSA references.
Click here for the IDPH memo
The healthcare provider guidelines highlighted in the memo is entitled “Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Illinois: Guidelines for the Primary Care Provider”. It can be accessed on the web at http://www.idph.state.il.us/health/infect/MRSA_Provider.htm
Special CDC Clinician Communication Update: Interim Guidance for the Use of Facemasks and Respirators in Public Settings During an Influenza Pandemic
- Facemasks and Respirators Could Provide Added Value When Used in Combination with Other Preventive Measures
- This week, the Illinois House and Senate hear testimony regarding pending bills related to MRSA. During live testimony, view or listen by opening the following links or visiting the Illinois General Assembly webpage http://www.ilga.gov/ and finding "House" on the top blue bar. Click on Audio/Visual.
- Chicago Tribune Commentary ‘Keeping patients safe’ by Michael O. Vernon, President, APIC Chicago (Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology); Director, Communicable Disease Control, Cook County Department of Public Health. >> Read More
- Chicago Tribune 'Super bug' bill targets hospitals: State measure could dictate fight against deadly bacterium’
>> Read More
(from current issue of APIC Epdate)
CMS Proposes Changes For Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System
The FY08 Inpatient Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule, released on April 13, 2007, contains six proposed conditions of which three are HAI related conditions and three serious preventable events for which CMS will not provide higher payments if the selected condition was not present upon admission. While these changes won't take effect until FY 2009, CMS will finalize its conditions by October 1, 2007. It is noteworthy that use of "Present on Admissions Codes" also take effect on October 1, 2007.
Proposed conditions that will not be covered include HAI related issues: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections; pressure ulcers; Staphylococcus aureus septicema; and "serious preventable events:" object left in surgery; air embolism, and blood incompatibility.
APIC plans to respond to this proposal in collaboration with key stakeholders and will provide its members with access to key comments for their use if they choose to respond from their respective organizations.
http://www.apic.org/EUpdate
Recommendations for Surveillance of Clostridium difficile-Associated Disease McDonald LC, et.al. (Ad Hoc Clostridium difficile Surveillance Working Group) ICHE 2007 Feb;28 (2):140-5 An ad hoc C. difficile surveillance working group was formed to develop interim surveillance definitions and recommendations based on existing literature and expert opinion that can help to improve CDAD surveillance and prevention efforts. Tracking of healthcare facility–onset, healthcare facility–associated CDAD is the minimum surveillance required for healthcare settings; tracking of community-onset, healthcare facility–associated CDAD should be performed only in conjunction with tracking of healthcare facility–onset, healthcare facility–associated CDAD. Recommended definitions for surveillance and for calculation of rates are included in the article.
In an effort to create a nationwide commitment to the elimination of MRSA transmission, APIC has launched and continues to build a comprehensive program to aid its members in overcoming barriers to the elimination of this deadly organism.
Available now on APIC web site (under Government Advocacy): Guide to the Elimination of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Hospital Settings, created by the MRSA Task Force and released on March 14, 2007, provides infection prevention and control professionals with a step-by-step approach to battle MRSA transmission. A range of approaches has been included to make the guide appropriate for any size or type of facility.
Home Government Advocacy Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) >MRSA Initiatives (link to document is found under Guide to the Elimination of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
MRSA Legislative Issues
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