Overview
The Kentucky Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Program is administered by the Cabinet of Health and Family Services and the purpose of the program is to prevent the spread of HAIs and Antibiotic Resistance in healthcare facilities.
About The Program
The Kentucky Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Program aims to identify Antibiotic resistance organisms and bind them to prevent their spread. Develop and promote antimicrobial drugs to control AR organisms from causing damage to the human body. The program also aims to promote the creation of suitable healthcare facilities that are equipped to prevent Healthcare-associated infections in the hospital and other such vicinities. The program representative also collects data from various healthcare facilities to provide support and intervention in controlling the spread of HAIs.
When germs like fungi, bacteria in the human body develop resistance to a drug that is called Antimicrobial/antibiotic resistance. The germs become immune to the drugs and it no longer is effective in killing the bacteria or fungi. The AR germs then become powerful and can cause severe damage to the body. Since the germs are immune it becomes difficult and, in some cases, impossible to treat them.
There are MDROs (Multi-drug resistant organisms) most of which are bacteria that are resistant to multiple drugs. They can be dangerous and can cause infection in the human body sometimes without even any symptoms. This makes the MDROs difficult to detect and sometimes there isn’t any proper treatment available to kill the germs. The most common cause of the MDROs includes getting in contact with a polluted surface as well as an already infected person.
People usually confuse antibiotic resistance with a person getting resistance from germs but in fact, it’s the germs being resistant to the drugs that kill it in the human body. Germs in the human body develop new strategies to find resistance to a drug.
Role of the Kentucky Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Program
The Kentucky Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Program takes different steps to help prevent healthcare-related diseases in patients. For that, the program develops plans to identify AR organisms and pathogens that can harm the human body. They provide investigation and report on the topic. The program offers HAI surveillance through the CDC National Healthcare Safety Network. The program also works in implementing various antimicrobial programs in healthcare. Similarly, the program also provides education and support in creating awareness about infection prevention through training in medical and healthcare settings. The program also provides funding and support to carry out experiments, evidence-based studies, and resources for the prevention of infectious diseases in healthcare.
The Kentucky Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Program goes through certain processes starting with reporting an infection outbreak. This leads to an investigation which mostly starts if there have been more than two reports of HAIs or MDROs cases. The program then responds by conducting site visits. The Kentucky Division of Laboratory Services gets engaged and applies different techniques like pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for the identification of the germ.
After that, a point prevalence survey (PPS) is conducted. The purpose of PPS is to provide testing and screenings of infectious individuals are can transmit it to other patients and healthcare providers. The screening is done with the support of the Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory Network which is funded nationwide by the CDC. There are many infection control tools and programs for quality audits in healthcare facilities. Similarly, Microbial management programs are strategies developed to develop drugs to reduce antibiotic resistance and improve patient’s health.
Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, the state has been divided into 10 regions to create regional infection prevention that works along with the local healthcare facilities to control the spread of the coronavirus among the citizens. It is advisable to report any outbreak of medical outbreaks like the recent COVID-19 which has resulted in multiple deaths to the Kentucky Department for Public Health via phone.
You can also reach the program coordinator, Andrea Flinchum, by calling the following number
(502) 564-3261 ext. 4248
