Join a statewide conversation between the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), hospitals, and the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) about the recent state of healthcare-associated infections in Virginia. During the webinar, we will: 

• Present annual HAI data for acute care hospitals before and during the pandemic, including the impact, efforts made, and future plans 

• Focus on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) standardized infection ratios and challenges faced 
• Share lessons learned from the field 
• Discuss how VDH and VHHA can support hospitals in their prevention efforts 

Prior to the webinar, an infection preventionist from each hospital will be requested to complete a short survey regarding their experience with CLABSI in their facility. 

Registration is now open!  

• Help residents and staff access updated COVID-19 vaccines 
• Ensure that residents and staff are testing if they are symptomatic, and know how to access COVID-19 treatment options (such as oral antiviral pills) if they test positive 
• Improve indoor air quality across facilities 

Transition of COVID-19 hospital data reporting to NHSN. The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) assumed responsibility for collection of COVID-19 hospital data on Thursday, December 15, 2022.  COVID-19 hospital data should be reported to NHSN as of December 15, 2022. Hospitals should continue to report COVID-19 data while NHSN is working on addressing application issues.  

Additional transition information can be found on the CDC website. 

CMS Quarterly Data Reporting Deadline. The deadline to enter 2022Q3 data into NHSN for the CMS Quality Reporting Programs for participating acute care hospitals, long-term acute care facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and cancer hospitals is March 15, 2023. To ensure your data have been correctly entered into NHSN, please verify that: 1) your monthly reporting plans are complete, 2) you have entered appropriate summary and event data or checked the appropriate no events boxes, and 3) you have cleared all alerts from your NHSN facility homepage. Hospitals that have conferred rights to VDH will be receiving a quality assurance report in the second week of March, so please be sure to check your email and acknowledge receipt and review. Please remember to update the VDH HAI/AR Program with any IP contact changes. For additional guidance on ensuring your data are accurately sent to CMS for Quality Reporting purposes, please visit the NHSN website and navigate to the appropriate section(s) for your facility type. 

Enhanced Barrier Precautions. Questions about implementing Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) in your nursing home? Check out the latest updates to the VDH frequently asked questions about EBP. If you have additional questions specific to your facility, reach out to hai@vdh.virginia.gov for guidance and we can connect you to an infection prevention expert in your area.  

CPO Alerts in the EDCC Program. Starting on December 7th, multidrug-resistant alerts for Carbapenemase Producing Organisms (CPOs) appeared in the electronic medical record of facilities participating in the EDCC (Emergency Department Care and Coordination) Program. Like the C. auris alerts that began September 1st, these alerts will appear indefinitely for patients/residents with previous CPO clinical or colonization diagnosis reported to VDH. To prepare, facilities should:  

How to Develop a Respiratory Protection Program. There is a new resource to help your facility develop a respiratory protection program (RPP). The goal of an RPP is to prevent the spread of small aerosol germs or particles that can cause disease. Most places that provide healthcare services are required to have an RPP. You should develop your RPP to meet the needs of your facility. You can find more information on RPPs by using the How to Develop a Respiratory Protection Program Resource and at the VDH N95 Respiratory Fit Testing Train-The-Trainer Website. 

Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center (VIPTC).

2021 National and State HAI Progress Report. The CDC 2021 National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Progress Report provides a summary of select HAIs across four healthcare settings: acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and long-term acute care hospitals. This report, along with the detailed technical tables, provides national- and state-level data about HAI incidence during 2021. 

February 1-7, 2023 | National Patient Recognition Week. National Patient Recognition Week, held in the first seven days of February, is about promoting the culture of emphasizing patient satisfaction. It serves as the day professionals in the healthcare field recommit to the pledge of superior healthcare service delivery.  Learn how you can find ways to better care for your patients.  

February 23, 2023 | Virginia Patient Safety Summit. Save the date for the 2023 Virginia Patient Safety Summit. This event is an opportunity to celebrate the great work being done in Virginia to provide safe, high-quality care, and foster joy in work for Virginia healthcare providers.