Q&A: How COVID-19 Tests Hospital Command Centers
Mary Ellen Beliveau: “If I’m an OB/GYN and all of a sudden I’m in the ICU, I don’t know how to run a ventilator. I’ve never run a ventilator before. I could be the best OB/GYN in the country. But suddenly, being put in a different area of practice and then to be expected to be at the top of my license is almost impossible.”
Hospital command centers were built to handle emergencies like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and other natural disasters. They weren’t built with something like COVID-19, says Mary Ellen Beliveau, the CEO and founder of Knowledge to Practice, a company that develops continuing education platforms and tools. Beliveau tells Infection Control Today®: “I’m trying to get as deep an insight as possible on the command centers, and how hospitals have adopted their command centers to be effective in a pandemic, when command centers have generally been designed for storm-based issues. And how quickly they have turned it around. Who’s been successful who hasn’t been successful.” Beliveau also discusses the difficulties faced when some specialists help in the emergency department, doing tasks they’ve never been trained to do.
CDC HICPAC Considers New Airborne Pathogen Guidelines Amid Growing Concerns
November 18th 2024The CDC HICPAC discussed updates to airborne pathogen guidelines, emphasizing the need for masks in health care. Despite risks, the committee resisted universal masking, highlighting other mitigation strategies
The Importance of Hand Hygiene in Clostridioides difficile Reduction
November 18th 2024Clostridioides difficile infections burden US healthcare. Electronic Hand Hygiene Monitoring (EHHMS) systems remind for soap and water. This study evaluates EHHMS effectiveness by comparing C difficile cases in 10 hospitals with CMS data, linking EHHMS use to reduced cases.
Breaking the Cycle: Long COVID's Impact and the Urgent Need for Preventative Measures
November 15th 2024Masking, clean air, and vaccinations are essential in combating COVID-19 and preventing long-term impacts, as evidence mounts of long COVID's significant economic, cognitive, and behavioral effects.
Our Understanding of Immune Issues Is Evolving: Here Are 5 Reasons Why
October 25th 2024The past 5 years in medicine have seen significant advances in RNA vaccines, understanding immune dysregulation, and improved interspecialty communication, promising better disease eradication and tailored treatments.
