The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a new anti-infection guide and checklist specifically for health care professionals in outpatient care facilities such as primary care offices, endoscopy clinics, surgery centers, and pain management clinics.
CDC says it based the Guide to Infection Prevention for Outpatient Settings: Minimum Expectations for Safe Care on existing evidence-based CDC guidelines that apply to a wide range of health care facilities but are mostly used by hospitals. The guide includes an Infection Prevention Checklist for Outpatient Settings and supporting materials including a new, no-cost, certified continuing medical education course titled Unsafe Injection Practices: Outbreaks, Incidents, and Root Causes offered on Medscape.org for all clinicians.
Among its recommendations, the guide suggests all outpatient practices ensure that at least one person with specific training in infection control is on staff or regularly available. This person should be involved in developing a written infection control policy and have regular communication with health care providers to address specific issues or concerns.
Action, Aug. 1, 2011
Last Updated On
May 13, 2016
Originally Published On
July 28, 2011