Key Objectives:
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will highlight activities and outputs from a joint initiative which aims to enhance capacity, effectiveness and reach of HAI/antibiotic resistance (AR) programs. Participants in this roundtable will learn more about the ASTHO and CDC collaboration, receive sample communications materials, and share experiences from Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity supported Healthcare Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) activities. Discussion will emphasize how these activities are supporting effective, sustainable HAI/AR programs and how the HAI/AR programs are being integrated with other state-level HAI prevention efforts.
Brief Summary:
The domestic response to the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in West Africa highlighted the need to improve infection control infrastructure across the US healthcare system. With federal Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity Infection Control supplemental funding, state health agencies are: 1) conducting inventories of healthcare facilities and associated oversight mechanisms in their jurisdictions, 2) assessing infection control policies, training, and competency, 3) addressing gaps through training, and 4) strengthening oversight and coordination with other state public health and preparedness programs. ASTHO and CDC are supporting this critical work by convening state-level leaders in public health, preparedness, and healthcare to share lessons learned and develop implementation steps; and by identifying best practices, policy options, and communications tools. For example, ASTHO and CDC partnered with a communications firm to package best practices for engaging healthcare providers and develop messaging about the value of state HAI/AR programs for improved overall infection control. In addition, spring 2016 meetings with state-level teams from across the country were designed to explore lessons learned from the Ebola experience, identify best practices, and translate these for broader application and enhanced public health coordination. Complementary efforts include the HAI Outbreak Detection and Response Council, co-led by ASTHO and CSTE, which strives to build capacity for public health and healthcare to improve outbreak detection, response, and prevention. This session will focus on how Ebola-related supplemental funding is advancing programs and coalescing key partners across the public health and healthcare sectors and how these efforts are strengthening readiness for future outbreaks of high-consequence infectious diseases.