APIC recognizes successes in infection prevention, control

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, or APIC, recently honored several health care professionals during its annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif., for their work in infection prevention and control, according to the association.

Mark Kehrberg, MD, MS, chief medical officer of Ministry Health Care and Affinity Health System in Menasha, Wis., was named the 2014 recipient of the Healthcare Administrator Award — given each year to a health care executive who has made infection prevention and control a top priority.

“We are proud to recognize Dr. Kehrberg with this honor,” APIC 2014 President Jennie L. Mayfield, BSN, MPH, CIC, said in a press release. “His dedication to infection prevention best practices and initiatives has improved patient, visitor and employee safety at the hospitals he oversees.”

Kehrberg manages 15 hospitals and 45 clinics in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He has supported the use of best practices regarding central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), surgical site infections and health care worker (HCW) vaccination compliance. Kehrberg’s leadership has seen influenza vaccination compliance among hospital staff increase from 70% during the 2011-2012 influenza season to 94% in the 2013-2014 influenza season, according to APIC. This was achieved without making vaccinations mandatory.

As a result of Kehrberg’s policies, Affinity Health System’s St. Elizabeth ICU in Appleton, Wis., has not experienced a CLABSI in 15 months, according to APIC. Kehrberg also has supported the use surveillance software that has helped the hospital transition from a strategy of infection control to one of infection prevention.

Also honored at the meeting was an infection prevention and control team from the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, Colo. Michelle Barron, MD;Linda Burton, RN, BSN, CIC; Teresa Hulett, RN, BSN;Tara Janosz, MPH; Larissa Pisney, MD;and Teresa Ruiz were the recipients of the Heroes of Infection Prevention Award for containing the spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) after two patients at their facility were found to be infected with the bacteria. It was discovered that the CRE was carrying the New Delhi-metallobetalactamase-1 (NDM1) enzyme, which is known to cause resistance to a range of beta-lactam antibiotics.

The team immediately enacted several infection prevention protocols, including hand hygiene, contact precautions, sterilization of equipment, and proper transport of patients in isolation. Active surveillance cultures were used to monitor the success of the intervention.

With the support of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), APIC and CDC, the team successfully contained the outbreak, and no additional cases have been reported at the hospital in more than a year, according to the association. CDPHE disseminated information pertaining to the outbreak, prompting other health care facilities in the state to review their own policies on infection prevention and control.

“We are proud to recognize the University of Colorado Hospital Infection Prevention and Control team with this honor,” Mayfield said. “Their quick actions to contain the NDM-1 CRE outbreak undoubtedly prevented harm to countless patients. Their collaborative efforts are an excellent example of how health care personnel can work together to solve pressing patient safety issues.”