Our Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Program and Division of Licensing Services, collaborated with the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, APIC Consulting Inc., Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), and other state partners to provide a two-day Arizona Healthcare-Acquired Conditions (HAC) and Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) Prevention Summit.

The two-day collaborative, held June 8 and June 9, brought Arizona hospitals and long-term care facilities together to learn new evidence-based practices in preventing infections and reducing harm.  This training event provided education to infection preventionists and other healthcare personnel on the key concepts and basic principles for infection prevention, harm reduction, communication, and evidence-based interventions to mitigate risk within healthcare facilities.

Nearly 150 individuals attended each day of the event.  The acute care day featured learning sessions on C. difficile, falls prevention, competency based training for hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, and sepsis,  with break-out sessions for small rural hospitals and medium to large sized hospitals. The long-term care day featured an APIC Consulting faculty-led all-day training focused on addressing the recently released CMS final rule, Reform the Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities.

We look forward to the opportunity of hosting the event again next year in order to promote education, patient safety, and communication across Arizona.