Infection Control Audit in Healthcare associated infections

Nosocomial pathogens or superbugs are increasingly becoming a major issue for senior clinicians and administrators in healthcare organisations around the world and patients are at the receiving end to bear the consequences of Medical neglect and ignorance. Many of the Hospitals and Physicians are searching for new generation of Antibiotics, However it is futile exercise to wait for more effective antibiotics. Healthcare-associated infections can occur in otherwise healthy individuals, especially if invasive procedures or devices are used. For example, indwelling urinary catheters are the most common cause of urinary tract infection. Patient safety has become a cornerstone of care, and preventing healthcare-associated infections remains a priority in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections and Clostridium difficle infections were recorded as the underlying cause of, or a contributory factor in many western well audited hospitals. New guidance is needed to reflect the fact that, as a result of the rapid turnover of patients in acute care settings, complex care is increasingly being delivered in the community. New standards for the care of patients and the management of devices to prevent related healthcare-associated infections are needed that will also reinforce the principles of asepsis. It is important contribution that surveillance makes us to strengthen monitoring infections. In India we have no guidelines to control and educate the Medical faculty and Paramedical staff. The society and even our patients are aware that the consequences of not implementing some important recommendations on patient safety would be very serious that is, there would be a greatly increased risk of adverse events, including death. A minimal training of our Nurses would be the ideal Goal, It is our duty to train few dedicated staff Nurses as they are the real performers in controlling infection. As a beginning we can analyse our DATA

from WHONET or other scientific software and inform the Hospital administrators and concerned Physicians on issues related to MRSA, VRE, Multidrug resistant and Pan drug resistant strains
emerging in the wards. A practical beginning is always better than keeping ourselves idle. I wish the New generation of Medical microbiologists should concentrate a little of the efforts in auditing the work and expressing the concerns in several CME programmes we hold in our Teaching Hospitals, as all our Microbiology Departments are neglected and ignored our voices for decades, with production many Medical Microbiologists, the MDs the life is competitive and everybody should ascertain their role as Medical expert on Infectious diseases. With the availability several resources on worldwide web it is easier to learn many matters at ease, are we putting efforts?, However the dangers await many hospitals if effective policies are not formulated on issues of patient safety and infection as many Hospitals are investing huge sums of money, and lack Infection control many Hospitals become unpopular and makes the patients admitted to greater risk. Do remember the Darwins theory is at work; only safe Hospitals survive the rest will ? Dr.T.V.Rao MD Professor of Microbiology (email doctortvrao@gmail.com )