Key Objectives:
Participants will become aware of CORHA, methods for engagement with the council, and learn about the resources developed to assist in detection, reporting, investigation, and control of infectious disease outbreaks in healthcare settings.
Brief Summary:
Healthcare-associated Infections (HAIs) including antimicrobial resistant (AR) pathogens cause hundreds of thousands of illnesses and deaths among U.S. patients each year. Despite significant progress, patients are still experiencing preventable harms in the context of outbreaks and other adverse events that stem from delayed recognition of emerging infectious diseases with potential for healthcare transmission, unsafe healthcare practices, contaminated drugs and medical device risks. Consistent and coordinated approaches are needed to speed up detection of new threats, develop tools to support outbreak investigation, stop outbreaks from spreading, and better inform prevention activities. To address these needs, CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion has funded the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) to create and co-lead the Council for Outbreak Response: HAI/AR (CORHA). Council membership including ASTHO, CSTE, CDC, and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), APIC and SHEA has been established. As additional members, partners, and workgroups come together, the Council will function as a multidisciplinary collective representing the interests of healthcare consumers; the medical community; state, local and territorial public health authorities; professional associations; and federal agencies. In 2016, CORHA grew its membership, finalized a strategic plan and governance and developed operational bylaws. CORHA also formed workgroups tasked with identifying standardized and coordinated approaches to detection, reporting, investigation, and control of infectious disease outbreaks and exposure events within healthcare facilities and in various ambulatory settings. In 2017, CORHA workgroups will prioritize getting appropriate expert input from stakeholders, developing practical guidance for outbreak detection and investigation, and promoting CORHA’s mission. For this session, CORHA members will share workgroup materials and developed resources with session participants to gain feedback and help determine the future priorities of tools to be developed.