Outbreak Investigation, Prevention, and Control in Health Care Settings: Critical Issues for Patient Safety, Second Edition

In Today's Era, We Are Forced To Realize That Outbreaks Can Occur At Any Moment. From Anthrax To The Avian Flu, Potential Outbreaks Can Spread Rapidly Through Air, Water, And Other Means. Hospital Personnel Are Now Being Trained To Understand And Monitor Outbreaks In Health Care Facilities. Professionals Both In The Private Health Care Sector And The Public Health System Now Need To Recognize, Investigate, Control And Prevent These Outbreaks. Outbreak Investigation, Prevention, And Control In Health Care Settings Is A Timely Resource For Health Care Professionals Inside And Outside Of The Hospital Covering Topics Such As: Epidemiology Surveillance Programs In Hospital Settings Organisms And Diseases Associated With Outbreaks Ambulatory Care Acute Care Long-Term Care Pseudo-Outbreaks Investigation Control The Second Edition Has Been Completely Updated With Current Information, Tables, Statistics And Suggested Readings. Doody Review Services Reviewer: Farrin Alan Manian, MD, MPH(St. John's Mercy Medical Center) Description: This book dedicated to the study of various facets of outbreaks in healthcare settings is an update of the first edition of 2000. Purpose: The main goals are to explain general epidemiologic principles and guidelines for identifying, investigating, preventing, and controlling outbreaks in healthcare settings as well as the use of information technology in infection surveillance, prevention, and control, and to serve as a ready reference guide for published articles on the subject. Despite the fact that outbreaks in healthcare settings comprise only a small proportion of infections in such settings, they may have a disastrous impact on the safety of patients, require diversion of already limited resources, and jeopardize the reputation of healthcare facilities in the community. For these reasons, these are laudable goals, which this book generally meets. Audience: This book appears to be written primarily for infection preventionists and healthcare epidemiologists, although other professionals such as quality management personnel also may find it useful. In addition, the author suggests that this book may be of interest to clinical laboratory scientists, public health personnel, and "students and educators" in healthcare epidemiology. Features: Two rather basic chapters on healthcare epidemiology and surveillance programs in a variety of healthcare settings begin the book. Five subsequent chapters cover reports of outbreaks and pseudo-outbreaks in acute care, long-term care, and ambulatory care settings. Chapter 8 covers basic guidelines for identifying, investigating, and controlling outbreaks in healthcare settings. The remainder of the book reviews the use of information technology, basic statistical methods, and laboratory techniques and provides information on collecting, organizing, and displaying epidemiologic data relating to outbreaks in healthcare settings. Assessment: While the book serves as a ready guide to the management of outbreaks, it has some shortcomings worthy of note. First, rather surprisingly, a major cause of outbreaks in many large hospitals, Acinetobacter baumannii , is hardly discussed. Given the significant attributable morbidity and mortality associated with this pathogen and its rather extensive environmental reservoir, it would have been useful to dedicate at least a section of a chapter to the management of outbreaks caused by this organism. Second, the topic of outbreaks in burn units is largely ignored, despite the fact that these units house extremely vulnerable patients with their propensity to disperse organisms into the surrounding environment. Similarly, management of outbreaks in another specialized unit with a highly vulnerable patient population, the neonatal intensive care unit, is not adequately addressed. Lastly, the author discourages the culture of personnel unless a thorough epidemiologic investigation links a specific healthcare worker to a cluster of cases, citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. However, it also would have been appropriate to point out that many outbreaks, particularly in units with highly vulnerable patients, may require a rapid, multifaceted response, including surveillance cultures of healthcare workers working in those units, before a "thorough epidemiologic investigation" can be performed. An oversimplified approach to evaluation and management of outbreaks detracts from their often idiosyncratic and complex nature, and is not likely to serve our patients well. "Healthcare facilities play an integral role in interrupting the transmission of infectious agents and recognizing, preventing, and controlling outbreaks caused by infectious and noninfectious agents." "guidance for the future or practicing health care professional who must be prepared to recognize and investigate outbreaks and identify effective interventions that can be used to prevent and interrupt those already under way." "With real-world examples of actual outbreaks, this is an ideal resource for infection prevention and control professionals, hospital epidemiologists, clinical laboratory scientists and healthcare quality management personnel. The Second Edition is a thorough revision that offers the most up-to-date information, examples, tables, statistics, and readings available."--BOOK JACKET An introduction to epidemiology -- Surveillance programs, public health, and emergency preparedness -- Outbreaks reported in acute care settings -- Outbreaks reported in long-term care settings -- Outbreaks reported in ambulatory care settings -- Pseudo-outbreaks reported in health care settings -- Organisms and diseases associated with outbreaks in a variety of health care settings -- Investigation, prevention, and control of outbreaks in the health care setting -- Information technology and outbreak investigation -- Statistical methods used in outbreak investigations -- The role of the laboratory in outbreak detection, prevention, and investigation -- Collecting, organizing, and displaying epidemiologic data.