Podcasts about molecular epidemiology

On episode #63 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the weeks of 8/29/24 – 9/13/24. Host: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of Puscast! Links for this episode Viral Postacute Sequelae of COVID (PASC or Long COVID): An Evidenced-Based Approach (OFID) A New Orthonairovirus Associated with Human Febrile Illness (NEJM) Farmed fur animals harbour viruses with zoonotic spillover potential(Nature) A Cross-Sectional Evaluation of the Virtual Outpatient Management of People With Mpox (OFID) A randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation phase I/II multicenter trial of low-dose cidofovir for BK polyomavirus nephropathy (Transplant Infectious Disease) A Decade of Chronic Norovirus Infection Surveillance at the NIH Clinical Research Center: Clinical Characteristics, Molecular Epidemiology, and Replication (JID) Bacterial FDA clears newLyme disease test (CIDRAP) Lyme ImmunoBlot Receives FDA Clearance(Accesswire) The Utilization Of Echocardiography In Children With Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia (Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society) Duration of antibiotic therapy for multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia: is shorter truly better?(BMC Infectious Diseases) Short Versus Long Antibiotic Duration in Streptococcus pneumoniae Bacteremia (OFID) FDA Marketing Authorization Enables Increased Access to First Step of Syphilis Diagnosis FDA) Clinical impact of pleural fluid Streptococcus pneumoniae PCR testing in children with complicated pneumonia (CID) Duration of antibiotic therapy for multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia: is shorter truly better? (BMC Infectious Diseases) Short Versus Long Antibiotic Duration in Streptococcus pneumoniae Bacteremia (OFID) Fungal The Last of US Season 2 (YouTube) Incidence and risk factors for invasive fungal infections in patients initiating TNF-alpha inhibitors for inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis (CID) Parasitic Intestinal helminth infection impairs vaccine-induced T cell responses and protection against SARS-CoV-2 in mice(Science Translational Medicine) Miscellaneous Successful Treatment of Refractory Cutaneous Protothecosis With MAT2203, an Oral Lipid Nanocrystal Formulation of Amphotericin B (OFID) The Impact of Infectious Diseases Scholarly Mentorship on Subsequent Infectious Disease Fellowship Application (CID) Music is by Ronald Jenkees Information on this podcast should not be considered as medical advice.

Listen in as our hosts, Lerenza Howard and Kelly Holmes, interview the authors of three impactful oral and poster presentations live at the 2024 APIC Annual Conference in San Antonio. Learn about a multi-prong approach to enhance outcomes in a dental unit, insights from a pediatric measles outbreak, and the adoption of a veterinary occupational and infection control assessment for enhanced safety. Discover more details on each presentation in our Further Resources section. Hosted by: Lerenza Howard, MHA, CIC, LSSGB and Kelly Holmes, MS, CIC About our Guests: Andrea Lombard, RN, BSN, MPH, CIC, Infection Control Manager, Community Health Services (CHS) Andrea is a nurse. Nursing chose her, she became a nurse when nursing was a vocation path. Andrea became intrigued with infection control and prevention in the 1980's after working on a team under a primary investigator researching the efficacy and outcomes of using chlorhexidine gluconate in the preoperative setting. Andrea learned infection control and epidemiology at the CDC and Emory, became certified in Infection Control, and then pursued a master's in public health. Her career journey has led her to work in a variety of practice settings – acute care, home care, public health, long term care, outpatient, behavioral health, dental, and ambulatory care – with a variety of roles – direct patient care, leadership, management, infection surveillance, prevention and control, quality improvement, program development, community assessments, evaluation, planning, community partnerships, education, and advocacy. Her work in Connecticut has led the State to being identified as the first jurisdiction in the United States targeted to eliminate Hepatitis C. Payal M. Patel, MPH, CIC, Infection Preventionist, Nationwide Children's Hospital Payal M. Patel began her career as an Infection Preventionist at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio in 2021. She holds a Master's in Public Health in Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology from the University of Michigan. Payal is dedicated to her role as a consultant, educator, researcher, and change agent in infection control and prevention. She represents various hospital areas including High Level Disinfection, Gastrointestinal Service Line, Fetal Services, Burn Program and Family Volunteer Services. Payal takes great pride in being an active member and serving as Treasurer of her local Central Ohio APIC chapter. Tammie Hull, MA, BSN, RN, CIC, LSSGBH, Infection Preventionist, Nationwide Children's Hospital Tammie Hull is an Infection Preventionist at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. She is a registered nurse and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Healthcare Professional. Her nursing experience ranges from occupational health to student and community health. Tammie began her role as an Infection Preventionist in 2020. She currently serves as an infection control representative to multiple hospital areas including inpatient units and primary cares, along with Employee Health, and sits on the Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection Leadership Committee and the Ambulatory Coordinating Council Committee. Leslie Kollmann, BS, AAS, CVT, CIC, Certified Veterinary Technician/Veterinary IPC, Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, Minnesota Leslie has been a Certified Veterinary Technician since 2004 and has been working in veterinary infection prevention for about 16 years. She currently works at the Minnesota Department of Health in the Zoonotic Disease Unit consulting with veterinary clinics, wildlife rehabs, zoos, animal sanctuaries, and shelters on infection control and safety issues. Leslie obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical sciences at the University of Wisconsin La-Crosse and her associate degree in veterinary technology from Argosy University. In 2023, she also passed the CIC exam. Further Resources Andrea Lombard poster presentation: Multiprong Interventions, Organizational Behavioral Changes, and Ongoing Monitoring Reduce Dental Unit Water Line Biofilm Growth, June 2021 to Nov2023 Payal Patel and Tammie Hull poster presentation: Lessons Learned from a Measles Outbreak in a Pediatric Population in Ohio Leslie Kollmann oral presentation: Veterinary Occupational Health and Infection Control Assessment Program (VOHICA)

**This episode was recorded on March 8, 2024, and references the 2024 Lab Manager Leadership Summit (Denver, CO)In this episode, we dive into the world of laboratory leadership with esteemed guest Dr. Rodney Rohde, as he sheds light on his Clinical Seminar at the April 2024 Lab Manager Leadership Summit.  Join us as we explore the challenges and strategies for cultivating effective management, developing a resilient workforce, and fostering innovation in the healthcare industry. Get an exclusive sneak peek into what attendees can expect from Dr. Rohde's highly anticipated seminar at the upcoming Lab Manager Leadership Summit.Today, we'll cover:Dr. Rodney Rohde's expert insights on maximizing workflows, quality, and outcomes in the medical laboratory setting.The critical role of resources and processes in navigating workforce shortages and maintaining laboratory standards during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.Strategies for integrating emotional intelligence and soft skills into technical education for laboratory professionals.The value of industry-academic partnerships and continuing professional development through events like the Lab Manager Summit.The increasing emphasis on mental health support and creating a culture of empathy within healthcare and academic institutions for the betterment of students and professionals.Tune in and discover actionable insights and strategies to enhance your leadership and prepare for success!The Lab Manager Leadership Summit is an opportunity to share knowledge, stimulate discussions, and offer guidance to budding lab leaders, thereby molding the future of lab management. So, mark your calendars! Learn more about the Lab Manager Leadership Summit HERE!For more tips on how to prepare for your next conference, re-visit eLABorate Topics | Episode 38: Preparing for Success: A Guide to Maximizing Your Next Conference (directimpactbroadcasting.com)-----Special Guest Bio:Dr. Rodney Rohde has published over 90 research articles and abstracts, two books, and is a highly sought keynote presenter with over 100 international, national, and state conference presentations. His two books focus on Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) adaptation and Clinical Considerations in Rabies. In recent years, he has become a globally viral author subject matter expert utilizing invited articles, TEDx talks, podcasts, video casts, and interviews to enhance science communication and translational health research literacy in public health, healthcare, and the medical laboratory environment.During the #SARSCoV2 / #COVID19 pandemic, Doc R is the #1 quoted Texas State subject matter expert and conducted over 150 interviews for podcasts, TV, newspapers, and internet sites including dozens of webinars and workshops at all levels. He has received numerous awards and honors during his career, and most recently, added to The Pathologist's PowerList 2020 and Cardinal Health's Laboratory Excellence List (2022).  Listeners can connect with Dr. Rodney Rohde at: Personal Website: https://rodneyerohde.wp.txstate.edu/Twitter: @RodneyRohde | @TXST_CLS | @TXST_THRLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodneyerohde/ [personal]https://www.linkedin.com/company/texas-state-clinical-laboratory-science-program/?viewAsMember=true [Texas State CLS Program]Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010172941875 [personal]https://www.facebook.com/txstate.cls/ [Texas State CLS Program]https://www.facebook.com/txst.THR/ [Texas State Translational Health Research]https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtWrOlPkjfLm2_i1G3ZVWBg [Youtube channel]-----Join Team #eLABorate and connect with us!Connect with us on LinkedIn: eLABorate Topics Group and give us your feedback!Podcast Call to ActionWe would love to feature YOU!!!Share your favorite takeaway from today's episode or anyone from this season: Video ReviewBe an eLABorate Supporter!1.     Listen on ...

The McCullough Report with Dr. Peter McCullough – For so many who now have this new form of vaccine in their body, this book is a must. Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse currently works at the Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Autonomous University of Queretaro. Acevedo-Whitehouse does research on Immune Plasticity, Molecular Epidemiology of disease in wildlife, and Cancer in free-ranging species...

The McCullough Report with Dr. Peter McCullough – For so many who now have this new form of vaccine in their body, this book is a must. Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse currently works at the Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Autonomous University of Queretaro. Acevedo-Whitehouse does research on Immune Plasticity, Molecular Epidemiology of disease in wildlife, and Cancer in free-ranging species...

In this inspiring video, Elena Martinez, Ph.D., shares her journey as a first-generation student from Mexico who dedicated herself to a career in cancer epidemiology, prevention, and disparities. Dr. Martinez emphasizes the transformative power of education as a means of empowerment and opportunity. She candidly discusses the cultural and societal barriers she faced and the unwavering support from her family that fueled her determination to succeed. Dr. Martinez also underscores the significance of representation and diversity in the scientific community, emphasizing the need to break down barriers and create more opportunities for underrepresented individuals in STEM fields. Series: "Education Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Education] [Show ID: 38746]

In this inspiring video, Elena Martinez, Ph.D., shares her journey as a first-generation student from Mexico who dedicated herself to a career in cancer epidemiology, prevention, and disparities. Dr. Martinez emphasizes the transformative power of education as a means of empowerment and opportunity. She candidly discusses the cultural and societal barriers she faced and the unwavering support from her family that fueled her determination to succeed. Dr. Martinez also underscores the significance of representation and diversity in the scientific community, emphasizing the need to break down barriers and create more opportunities for underrepresented individuals in STEM fields. Series: "Education Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Education] [Show ID: 38746]

In this inspiring video, Elena Martinez, Ph.D., shares her journey as a first-generation student from Mexico who dedicated herself to a career in cancer epidemiology, prevention, and disparities. Dr. Martinez emphasizes the transformative power of education as a means of empowerment and opportunity. She candidly discusses the cultural and societal barriers she faced and the unwavering support from her family that fueled her determination to succeed. Dr. Martinez also underscores the significance of representation and diversity in the scientific community, emphasizing the need to break down barriers and create more opportunities for underrepresented individuals in STEM fields. Series: "Education Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Education] [Show ID: 38746]

In this inspiring video, Elena Martinez, Ph.D., shares her journey as a first-generation student from Mexico who dedicated herself to a career in cancer epidemiology, prevention, and disparities. Dr. Martinez emphasizes the transformative power of education as a means of empowerment and opportunity. She candidly discusses the cultural and societal barriers she faced and the unwavering support from her family that fueled her determination to succeed. Dr. Martinez also underscores the significance of representation and diversity in the scientific community, emphasizing the need to break down barriers and create more opportunities for underrepresented individuals in STEM fields. Series: "Education Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Education] [Show ID: 38746]

In this inspiring video, Elena Martinez, Ph.D., shares her journey as a first-generation student from Mexico who dedicated herself to a career in cancer epidemiology, prevention, and disparities. Dr. Martinez emphasizes the transformative power of education as a means of empowerment and opportunity. She candidly discusses the cultural and societal barriers she faced and the unwavering support from her family that fueled her determination to succeed. Dr. Martinez also underscores the significance of representation and diversity in the scientific community, emphasizing the need to break down barriers and create more opportunities for underrepresented individuals in STEM fields. Series: "Education Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Education] [Show ID: 38746]

In this inspiring video, Elena Martinez, Ph.D., shares her journey as a first-generation student from Mexico who dedicated herself to a career in cancer epidemiology, prevention, and disparities. Dr. Martinez emphasizes the transformative power of education as a means of empowerment and opportunity. She candidly discusses the cultural and societal barriers she faced and the unwavering support from her family that fueled her determination to succeed. Dr. Martinez also underscores the significance of representation and diversity in the scientific community, emphasizing the need to break down barriers and create more opportunities for underrepresented individuals in STEM fields. Series: "Education Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Education] [Show ID: 38746]

In this inspiring video, Elena Martinez, Ph.D., shares her journey as a first-generation student from Mexico who dedicated herself to a career in cancer epidemiology, prevention, and disparities. Dr. Martinez emphasizes the transformative power of education as a means of empowerment and opportunity. She candidly discusses the cultural and societal barriers she faced and the unwavering support from her family that fueled her determination to succeed. Dr. Martinez also underscores the significance of representation and diversity in the scientific community, emphasizing the need to break down barriers and create more opportunities for underrepresented individuals in STEM fields. Series: "Education Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Education] [Show ID: 38746]

In this inspiring video, Elena Martinez, Ph.D., shares her journey as a first-generation student from Mexico who dedicated herself to a career in cancer epidemiology, prevention, and disparities. Dr. Martinez emphasizes the transformative power of education as a means of empowerment and opportunity. She candidly discusses the cultural and societal barriers she faced and the unwavering support from her family that fueled her determination to succeed. Dr. Martinez also underscores the significance of representation and diversity in the scientific community, emphasizing the need to break down barriers and create more opportunities for underrepresented individuals in STEM fields. Series: "Education Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Education] [Show ID: 38746]

The Filtrate:Joel TopfSwapnil HiremathNayan AroraPriya YenebereSpecial Guests:Todd Miano, PharmD, PhD @Miano81 Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine.Show Notes:Early Pip/Tazo article showing nephrotoxicity. Covered by NephJCLinazolid vs Vanco RCT showing excess AKI with Vanco. Yes Vance is a lot less toxic than it was in the Mississippi mud days but your attending telling you it is no longer nephrotoxic is wrong. Linezolid in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nosocomial pneumonia: a randomized, controlled study and Vancomycin and the Risk of AKI: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Vancomycin-Associated Acute Kidney Injury with a Steep Rise in Serum CreatinineVancomycin-Associated Cast Nephropathy: Reality or Fantasy?Molecular Epidemiology of SepsiS in the ICU (MESSI) prospective cohort. Learn about it her: A multibiomarker-based outcome risk stratification model for adult septic shock*Cystatin C in acute kidney injury Changing Definitions of SepsisProposed new definitions of AKI incorporating biomarkers: Recommendations on Acute Kidney Injury Biomarkers From the Acute Disease Quality Initiative Consensus Conference. A Consensus Statement in JAMA Network OpenApplications of propensity score methods in observational comparative effectiveness and safety research: where have we come and where should we go?The effect of glucocorticoids on serum cystatin C in identifying acute kidney injury: a propensity-matched cohort studyProtective effect of piperacillin against nephrotoxicity of cephaloridine and gentamicin in animalsPulmCrit – Myth-busting the conditional nephrotoxicity of piperacillin-tazobactam by Josh FarkasSharp Objects on Good ReadsBandon Dunes The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf ResortBe Real follow me: BeRe.al/kidney_boySNL spoof of BeReal

In this episode, Keith S. Kaye, MD, MPH; Lilian Abbo, MD, FIDSA; and Jason M. Pogue, PharmD, discuss HABP/VABP and gram-negative resistance including:Epidemiology and burden of nosocomial bacterial pneumoniaPatient-specific risk factors for MDR pathogensImproving outcomes with the use of antibiogramsRecommended empiric therapy for clinically suspected VABPAntimicrobial resistance in HABP/VABPAlgorithms for gram-negative organism antibiotic-susceptibility testingUsing rapid diagnostic tests for HABP/VABPNew antimicrobial agents for MDR gram-negative infections with discussion of the 2021 IDSA guidance, and the following studies:ASPECT-NP: ceftolozane/tazobactam vs meropenemREPROVE: ceftazidime/avibactam vs meropenemRESTORE-IMI-1 imipenem/cilastatin/relebactam vs colistin + imipenemRESTORE-IMI-2: imipenem/cilastatin/relebactam vs piperacillin/tazobactamAPEKS-NP: cefiderocol vs meropenemCREDIBLE-CR: cefiderocol vs best available therapyProgram Director:Keith S. Kaye, MD, MPHChiefDivision of Allergy, Immunology and Infectious DiseasesProfessor of MedicineRutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical SchoolNew Brunswick, New JerseyFaculty:Lilian Abbo, MD, FIDSAAssociate Chief Medical Officer in Infectious DiseasesJackson Health SystemProfessor of Infectious DiseasesDepartment of Medicine & Miami Transplant InstituteUniversity of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiami, FloridaJason M. Pogue, PharmDClinical ProfessorDepartment of Clinical PharmacyUniversity of Michigan College of PharmacyInfectious Diseases Clinical PharmacistMichigan MedicineAnn Arbor, MichiganContent based on a CME program supported by an educational grant from Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.Follow along with a downloadable slideset at:https://bit.ly/3CEop6hLink to full program https://bit.ly/3i781lf

There really are no excuses not to engage in advocacy. Associations like APIC make it easy for members to write their state and federal lawmakers by creating all sorts of scripted letters, and other tools. Sarah Smathers of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia explains why telling your story to your elected officials helps them understand the problems you face and allows them to make a difference for you. Advocacy, like infection prevention is everyone's business. Hosted by: Silvia Quevedo About our guest: Sarah Smathers, is the System Director of Infection Prevention and Control at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). She is Immediate Past President of the Delaware Valley/Philadelphia Chapter of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), Chair of the APIC Public Policy Committee and Adjunct Professor at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health. Sarah is serving as part of the Infection Prevention Advisory Group for the Solutions for Patient Safety (SPS) network and is on the steering committee to create the first Delaware County Health Department. Sarah has worked at CHOP since 2006, has been certified in Infection Control since 2010 and became an APIC Fellow in 2016. She has presented at national conferences including Children’s Hospital Association (CHA), APIC, SHEA and IDWeek and has published on the epidemiology and prevention of infectious diseases. Sarah has master in public health degree from the University of Michigan in Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology.

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.07.22.216275v1?rss=1 Authors: Campbell, E. M., Boyles, A. A., Shankar, A., Kim, J., Knyazev, S., Switzer, W. M. Abstract: Motivation Outbreak investigations use data from interviews, healthcare providers, laboratories and surveillance systems. However, integrated use of data from multiple sources requires a patchwork of software that present challenges in usability, interoperability, confidentiality, and cost. Rapid integration, visualization and analysis of data from multiple sources can guide effective public health interventions. Results We developed MicrobeTrace to facilitate rapid public health responses by overcoming barriers to data integration and exploration in molecular epidemiology. Using publicly available HIV sequences and other data, we demonstrate the analysis of viral genetic distance networks and introduce a novel approach to minimum spanning trees that simplifies results. We also illustrate the potential utility of MicrobeTrace in support of contact tracing by analyzing and displaying data from an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in South Korea in early 2020. Availability and Implementation MicrobeTrace is a web-based, client-side, JavaScript application (https://microbetrace.cdc.gov) that runs in Chromium-based browsers and remains fully-operational without an internet connection. MicrobeTrace is developed and actively maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The source code is available at https://github.com/cdcgov/microbetrace. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info

Stefan Phang is driven to make a difference. He creates shared value through connections. For more than thirty years, Stefan Phang has been working to protect children and end human trafficking. “When a family is in deep poverty, sometimes, the only thing they can sell is themselves, or their children,” Stefan explains. Stefan has first-hand knowledge of the world of the underserved. He grew up in a shanti in Penang, Malaysia. “There was no running water. The toilet was an outhouse with a blue pail in a hole in the ground. When the pail was full, it was my job to take the pail to the river and clean the pail. I grew up in that kind of squalor. I joined gangs to protect myself from being bullied.” Stefan went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and a master’s degree in Molecular Epidemiology. He is an accredited Child Protection Advocate Today, Stefan works to end poverty and child trafficking, but not by working for a charity or an NGO. He is the Global Director for Creating Shared Value (CSV), at Diversey. Diversey is a provider of cleaning, sanitation, and maintenance products, systems, and services. Turning Waste into Shared Value “In a megacity in Asia, you stand on the seventh floor of a hotel. You look across the road, and you see a slum. You don’t have to go far to find the poor. “There is this disparity between the luxury of this hotel, and across the road, you’ve got squalor. So, I was looking for a way to bridge this gap. How do we get resources from those who can provide it, to those who need it? “When I go to talk to someone, and I ask them for resources such as cash, they will give me a little bit of money. So, what you do is, you ask for something that they’ll never say no to. You ask them for things they are going to throw away. You ask them for your trash.” Stefan mapped the waste streams of hotels. Every year, a typical 400-room hotel generates 3.5 tons of solid soap waste. That same hotel generates about two to three metric tons of used linens such as bedsheets, pillowcases, and more. “If you map the waste that a luxury five-star hotel generates, a lot of it can be recycled or upcycled into something useful. People can make a small income out of it,” Stefan explains. “If someone has a way to make money, they don’t have to take the drastic step of selling their children.” Working with luxury hotel chains and local NGOs, Stefan created two community resilience programs. Soap for Hope converts used guest soaps into new soap bars. Linens for Life converts condemned hotel linens into useful items such as school uniforms. These programs provide work and income for underserved communities. Being a Connector During COVID-19 According to Stefan, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, all communities are under lockdown. But not all lockdowns are created equal. The poor, underprivileged, and underserved suffer the most. These communities need sanitation and protection from the virus. “These programs are designed to be community-based. But, how to do this now under lockdown? Also, how do we distribute these items to communities in need under lockdown conditions?” Stefan and the teams did not give up. They converted the Linens for Life program to make facemasks. “We have distributed 150,000 soaps and 50,000 face masks. We deliver to slums and rubbish dumps. We are working globally, from Argentina to India to Indonesia. “ Stefan explains the drive that keeps him going. “There is a cliché that says that there are 3 types of people in the world. Those who make things happen. Those who watch things happen. And those who wondered what the hell happened. “The needs out there are simply too great for me to say ‘well, there's nothing I can do from here’. I have Wifi. I have email. I have social media. “You have choices. You can choose to be a person who make things happen. You can watch things happen. Or, you can wonder what the hell happened. For me, I made the choice to make things happen. 

This episode is part of our in-depth coverage of the Healthcare Infection Transmission Systems Consortium (HITS) 2018 conference in Nashville, TN that took place September 18-20th. Check out all our HITS 2018 episodes here, and look for more throughout the month of October. The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) measures a patient's satisfaction with the quality of their care during their stay at the hospital. It measures things like staff communication and attentiveness, discharge information, food service, and the hospital environment. These are important measures and every hospital should strive for excellence in each of them (we talked about this in our last episode). However, and as is often the case in healthcare, the HCAHPS survey can have unintended consequences. Typically, the Environmental Services Department (EVS) is given responsibility for the hospital environment portion of the score. And this too makes sense. They're the ones cleaning the rooms, emptying the trash, and ensuring that the patient has a comfortable environment to heal in. However, the most important responsibility for EVS is to ensure the environment is safe and HCAHPS does nothing to measure that. There is no measure that grades the EVS staff on how well they prevent the spread of pathogens through the hospital. This becomes a problem when pressures mount to improve HCAHPS scores. It creates an environment where EVS staff are forced to focus on the perception issues, and with shrinking staff sizes, it often comes at the expense of doing their most important work. On this episode, we talk with Christine Greene, MPH, Ph.D., Principal Research Investigator at NSF International and President of HITS and Maurits Hughes, Director of Logistics and Support Services at Michigan Medicine about how to deal with the patient satisfaction vs. patient safety conundrum. It's a challenge that requires proper education for staff and leadership about the importance of EVS' role in the hospital and the alignment of EVS and other critical teams like Infection Control. It also requires a new attitude towards EVS staff. They aren't just custodians or housekeepers... they are Infection Prevention Technicians. We can do a lot for patients by elevating the stature of and support for the EVS team. HCAHPS and the Patient Safety vs. Patient Satisfaction Conundrum:  1:46 Measuring Environmental Services (EVS) with HCAHPS: What sounds good on paper doesn't always work in practice. 2:40 The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) measures a patient's satisfaction with the quality of their care during their stay at the hospital. The problem with tying patient perception of cleanliness to reimbursement is that it creates the conundrum of patient satisfaction vs patient safety. Contamination removal does not increase patient satisfaction. 4:55 Environmental Services (EVS) at Michigan Health are closely aligned with Infection Prevention (IP). In the 30 minutes a day EVS is in a patient room, staff must make the room look clean, remove the clutter of medical supplies, ensure trash doesn't get too full, all while trying to stay as quiet as possible to improve HCAHPS scores. 6:20 HCAHPS has nothing to do with patient safety. It sounds good on paper but doesn't really measure if the patient is actually safe. 7:30 EVS must partner with IP and use tools to help them measure if the staff is cleaning to necessary levels. Cut-backs on staff and resources mean each staff member is being expected to do more in a given day. The culture of cleaning excellence is compromised by not respecting the folks who do the cleaning. If these frontline employees are, "the tip of the spear against pathogens" how do we make sure they're treated, compensated, trained and supplied like it? 10:20 Remind employees that they are Infection Prevention Technicians (as opposed to custodians or housekeepers) and their role is to prevent the spread of infections and save lives. All services are hospital services. 12:22 The industry has not made investments in training for EVS. Getting the lab and IP staff to help educate the C-Suite would be huge. 13:20 How do you quantify the value that EVS brings to the organization? Michigan Health uses ATP testing, microbial swab testing, gel marking and special procedures in ED and other high priority areas to track EVS effectiveness. We share the results with leadership. 14:45 A "Bundled" approach to accountability. EVS, IP, and nursing staff are all responsible for taking action if a patient has an infection. Tests that determine if a surface has been wiped vs. decontaminated can help you better prioritize which processes need improvement. 17:30 A Quality Assurance program that uses the latest technology can help validate who infection control committees should focus on. 19:30 How do you get people to see EVS as a protector of ROI and prioritize cleaning at the level needed? 22:50 HCAHPS doesn't align with the goals of infection prevention and that's a huge disservice to patient safety. It leads to EVS focusing on the perception of cleanliness and quiet first, and safety second. The smell of the chemicals might be bad but we're not cleaning a fast-food restaurant, we're cleaning to save lives. To improve HCAHPS scores we need adequate levels of staff, training of staff, access to facilities and a team approach to preparing patients for a safe environment. 25:00 This issue won't manifest itself immediately and requires a long-term strategic prioritization or eventually it will prevent you from doing other things you're trying to accomplish. On the HITS Consortium and HITS Conference: “I think change will occur by getting more EVS and IP leaders involved in this sort of initiative but it is going to require us to change the paradigm and change the model of how EVS is perceived and managed throughout the healthcare facilities.” - Maurits Hughes ... This episode was recorded on site at the HITS 2018 conference in Nashville, TN. Check out all our HITS 2018 episodes here, and look for more throughout the month of October. Thank you to HITS, Christine Greene of NSF International, Kelly Reynolds of the University of Arizona and Michael Diamond of The Infection Prevention Strategy for working with us on this conference coverage. It was a great event, in a great city, attended by true heroes of Infection Prevention and Control from all over the world. Be sure to check out the next HITS conference in August 2019 in Buffalo, NY! ... About The HITS 2018 Conference:  The HITS 2018 Conference was held on September 18-20th in Nashville, TN.   HITS 2018 offers a unique forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections and promoting “hospital health”.  The 2018 HITS “Catalyst for Change” Conference is a working conference, bringing together research scientists, industry and healthcare professionals for an interdisciplinary and dynamic approach. We work together to understand and prevent the transmission of pathogens throughout the hospital facility through a collaborative effort that includes engaging in applied research.  The conference is accredited as a provider for continuing education units (CEUs) through National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE). Join us for this one-of-a-kind, multimodal event where researchers and experts from across disciplines will work toward identifying research gaps and applying data-driven methods in the field. Meet, greet and share ideas with the individuals and organizations who are growing and sustaining the industry as we explore creative and innovative solutions to this global problem. The full 2018 schedule can be found at https://hitsconsortium.org/2018-nashville/2018-schedule/ The HITS organizing committee has assembled world experts and key opinion leaders to share their knowledge and expertise. We host a research poster session to hear from those in healthcare about the research being conducted in their facilities.  We also incorporate workshop breakout sessions each day in order to provide a unique forum through which everyone can interact and be innovative as we work to identify potential solutions to key barriers and develop an agenda for change moving forward into the next year.  After the conference, members have the opportunity to become involved in one of the many research workgroups conducting research around pathogen transmission in healthcare. Check out highlights from the HITS 2017 conference: https://hitsconsortium.org/2017-hits-highlight-reel/ For media inquiries:  https://hitsconsortium.org/media/ For more information, please visit the HITS Consortium website: https://hitsconsortium.org/ or email us: info@HITSconsortium.org Checkout our conference preview episode: HITS 2018 A Catalyst for Change in Infection Control - Episode 67 w/ Dr. Christine Greene and Dr. Kelly Reynolds. ... About Christine Greene, MPH, PhD:  Principal Research Investigator at NSF International Dr. Greene is the Principal Research Investigator for the Sanitation and Contamination Control unit of the Applied Research Center at NSF International.  She has over 10 years of experience in epidemiological and laboratory research.   She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences and an MPH in Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her academic research focus has been on healthcare pathogen transmission, pathogen environmental survival, hand hygiene, disinfection and biofilms which has led to multiple publications. At NSF International, Dr. Greene has been making strides to improve public health in the areas of infectious disease prevention and control in clinical, dental and community settings. Her work serves to improve the accuracy of environmental mediated infectious disease transmission modeling, strengthens current guidelines to control healthcare-associated infections and provides new insights that will stimulate innovative approaches to reduce the risk of biofilm-related infections, pathogen transmission and curtail the environmental persistence and transmission of infectious agents. Dr. Greene is a member of the NSF International 444 Joint Committee Standard – Prevention of Injury and Disease Associated with Building Water Systems and serves on the ISO TC 304 working group 3 as the project leader for the healthcare hand hygiene performance and compliance standard.  She serves as a board member for The Infection Prevention Strategy.  Dr. Greene is a co-founder of the Healthcare Infection Transmission Systems (HITS) Consortium – an organization that strives to break down silos in healthcare using a cross-disciplinary, systems approach to addressing the pressing issues around infection control. Email at cgreene@nsf.org ... About Maurits Hughes:  Maurits Hughes is the Director of Logistics and Support Services at Michigan Medicine. He's a dedicated executive with over 20 years of management experience in clinical and non-clinical environments.  Maurits Hughes on LinkedIn ... About the Healthcare Infection Transmission Systems (HITS) Consortium:  The Healthcare Infection Transmission System Consortium is a not-for-profit organization serving the field of infection control and prevention. HITS takes a holistic perspective to targeting healthcare associated infections by including multiple disciplines in the conversation, including infection prevention, environmental services, construction and renovation, facilities management and engineering along with research scientists and industry experts. HITS focuses on the major avenues for pathogen transmission in hospitals:  hands, surfaces, water and air.  HITS provides the necessary, cross-disciplinary platform to share knowledge and engage in research regarding the prevention of healthcare-associated infections and promotion of overall hospital health. @HITSConsortium on Twitter HITS Consortium on LinkedIn ... Related and/or Mentioned on the Show:  The Patient Hot Zone w/ Darrel Hicks Check out all the #HCBiz Show! Infection Prevention and Control coverage. ... Subscribe to Weekly Updates If you like what we're doing here, then please consider signing up for our weekly newsletter. You'll get one email from me each week detailing: New podcast episodes and blog posts. Content or ideas that I've found valuable in the past week. Insider info about the show like stats, upcoming episodes and future plans that I won't put anywhere else. Plain text and straight from the heart :) No SPAM or fancy graphics and you can unsubscribe with a single click anytime. ... The #HCBiz Show! is produced by Glide Health IT, LLC in partnership with Netspective Media. Music by StudioEtar

Controlling the transmission of infections isn't one person's job and it can't be measured with a few key performance indicators. It's breaking down barriers to allow for collaboration between all interested parties. And that's exactly what's being done at the Healthcare Infection Transmission System (HITS) Conference this September 18-20th in Nashville, TN. Today I'm joined by Dr. Christine Greene, Principal Research Investigator for the Sanitation and Contamination Control unit of the Applied Research Center at NSF International and Dr. Kelly Reynolds, Professor and Chair of the Community, Environment and Policy Department at the College of Public Health, and Director of the Environment, Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center at the University of Arizona. We discuss the challenges and opportunities in infection control and prevention as well as get a sneak peek of what's to come at this year's HITS Conference. Enjoy! NOTE: Find extensive coverage from The #HCBiz Show! on Infection Prevention and Control 0:00 Aligning infection prevention and control with business reality. 3:13 Introducing Dr. Christine Greene and Dr. Kelly Reynolds 3:51 Background: How does HITS use their understanding of what impacts the survival and movement of microorganisms to reduce infection rates? 6:15 What's the ROI for getting infections under control in your business? 9:22 The 2017 HITS conference worked with attendees to find key focus areas in infection control. How did people work together and what did the groups find? 12:20 Sentiment analysis, word clouds, and attendee feedback helped design this year's working groups, which include: Air Transmission Hospital Construction and Design Hand Hygiene New Innovation Adaption Risk Assessment Surface Transmission: Floors Surface Transmission: Genomics Water Transmission 15:20 Each of the 8 groups continues to work towards progress throughout the year. 16:26 How clean should a hospital be? The math to find quantitative cleaning goals. 18:46 All work groups will be presenting at fall conference. You can find updates on the HITS Consortium website and newsletter and InfectionControl.tips. Next step is research funding. 21:35 Do you want to reduce healthcare acquired infections? Product companies, monitoring companies, private practices and hospitals now have a way to help! Engage with HITS and get involved! 24:30 What's new for 2018? Expanding HITS networking platform, exhibit hall, new products, talking with industry leaders and academics, poster sessions, lightning talks and more! 28:52 Infection prevention, EVS, facilities management, scientists, and industry suppliers will all benefit from attending! HITS is still accepting sponsors! 32:00 Who are this year's speakers? More than 20 experts from around the world! 38:29 Our sponsors are internationally recognized for their commitment, leadership, and passion for controlling and preventing infections world-wide. When we all come together, we become the catalyst for change. This September step forward and join the HITS Consortium.  Choose to make a difference in your field.  Be part of the Catalyst for Change! HITS 2018 Conference About Christine Greene, MPH, PhD  Principal Research Investigator at NSF International Dr. Greene is the Principal Research Investigator for the Sanitation and Contamination Control unit of the Applied Research Center at NSF International.  She has over 10 years of experience in epidemiological and laboratory research.   She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences and an MPH in Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her academic research focus has been on healthcare pathogen transmission, pathogen environmental survival, hand hygiene, disinfection and biofilms which has led to multiple publications. At NSF International, Dr. Greene has been making strides to improve public health in the areas of infectious disease prevention and control in clinical, dental and community settings. Her work serves to improve the accuracy of environmental mediated infectious disease transmission modelling, strengthens current guidelines to control healthcare-associated infections and provides new insights that will stimulate innovative approaches to reduce the risk of biofilm-related infections, pathogen transmission and curtail the environmental persistence and transmission of infectious agents. Dr. Greene is a member of the NSF International 444 Joint Committee Standard – Prevention of Injury and Disease Associated with Building Water Systems and serves on the ISO TC 304 working group 3 as the project leader for the healthcare hand hygiene performance and compliance standard.  She serves as a board member for The Infection Prevention Strategy.  Dr. Greene is a co-founder of the Healthcare Infection Transmission Systems (HITS) Consortium – an organization that strives to break down silos in healthcare using a cross-disciplinary, systems approach to addressing the pressing issues around infection control. About Kelly A. Reynolds, PhD Associate Professor at the University of Arizona Dr. Reynolds is a Professor and Chair of the Community, Environment and Policy Department at the College of Public Health, and Director of the Environment, Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center at the University of Arizona. She has over 30 years of experience in academia- specializing in tracking pathogen movement in healthcare environments and evolving predictive risk assessment models for determining pathogen spread, human exposure potentials, adverse health impacts and intervention efficacy.  Dr. Reynolds has served as a principal investigator on numerous projects and published over 375 journal articles, book chapters and professional reports. In the last year, her work was featured in over 50 popular media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, BuzzFeed and the Huffington Post. Most recently she co-founded the HITS (Healthcare Infection Transmission Systems) Consortium, utilizing her expertise in integrating academic research teams with medical personnel, clinical diagnostic laboratories, patients, industries and other stakeholders for a multidisciplinary approach toward research, communication and management efforts in infection prevention. Additional information: https://publichealth.arizona.edu/directory/kelly-reynolds About The Healthcare Infection Transmission Systems (HITS) Consortium The Healthcare Infection Transmission System Consortium is a not-for-profit organization serving the field of infection control and prevention. HITS takes a holistic perspective to targeting healthcare associated infections by including multiple disciplines in the conversation, including infection prevention, environmental services, construction and renovation, facilities management and engineering along with research scientists and industry experts. HITS focuses on the major avenues for pathogen transmission in hospitals:  hands, surfaces, water and air.  HITS provides the necessary, cross-disciplinary platform to share knowledge and engage in research regarding the prevention of healthcare-associated infections and promotion of overall hospital health. About The HITS 2018 Conference The HITS 2018 Conference will be held on September 18-20th in Nashville, TN.   HITS 2018 offers a unique forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections and promoting “hospital health”.  The 2018 HITS “Catalyst for Change” Conference is a working conference, bringing together research scientists, industry and healthcare professionals for an interdisciplinary and dynamic approach. We work together to understand and prevent the transmission of pathogens throughout the hospital facility through a collaborative effort that includes engaging in applied research.  The conference is accredited as a provider for continuing education units (CEUs) through National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE). Join us for this one-of-a-kind, multimodal event where researchers and experts from across disciplines will work toward identifying research gaps and applying data-driven methods in the field. Meet, greet and share ideas with the individuals and organizations who are growing and sustaining the industry as we explore creative and innovative solutions to this global problem. The full 2018 schedule can be found at https://hitsconsortium.org/2018-nashville/2018-schedule/ The HITS organizing committee has assembled world experts and key opinion leaders to share their knowledge and expertise. We host a research poster session to hear from those in healthcare about the research being conducted in their facilities.  We also incorporate workshop breakout sessions each day in order to provide a unique forum through which everyone can interact and be innovative as we work to identify potential solutions to key barriers and develop an agenda for change moving forward into the next year.  After the conference, members have the opportunity to become involved in one of the many research workgroups conducting research around pathogen transmission in healthcare. Check out highlights from the HITS 2017 conference: https://hitsconsortium.org/2017-hits-highlight-reel/ For media inquiries:  https://hitsconsortium.org/media/ For more information, please visit the HITS Consortium website: https://hitsconsortium.org/ or email us: info@HITSconsortium.org Register now! Related and/or Mentioned on the Show More on Infection Prevention and Control from The #HCBiz Show! Using Barrier Technology to Stop the Spread of Infectious Disease – Rik Heller Why Hand Hygiene Matters – Tamás Haidegger Shining a Light on C. diff – Christian John Lillis Lessons on Infection Control and Healthcare Sales from the Man with the High-Tech Pillow | David Woolfson Redefining Sepsis | Michael Ackerman Understanding Infectious Agents in the Environment | Dr. Syed Sattar and Bahram Zargar The Patient Hot Zone | Darrel Hicks Legionella: A Manageable Risk for Health Systems | Dave Purkiss and Joseph Cotruvo | Legionella 2018 HITS 2017 Conference Preview with Dr Christine Greene and Dr. Kelly Reynolds Sepsis Episode with Mike Ackerman Lesson on Infection Control with David Wolfson Infection Prevention and Control with Niall Wallace and Michael Diamond HIMSS18: Dr. Lucas Schulz | UW Health & ILÚM Health Solutions – We chat with Dr. Lucas Schulz, infectious disease and critical care pharmacist at University of Wisconsin Health. Luke is also an adviser to ILÚM Health Solutions – An infectious disease (ID) platform and real-time information service. We cover antimicrobial stewardship, clinical decision support & more. The Infection Prevention Strategy (TIPS) – The Infection Prevention Strategy is a registered non-profit. We have created a model of information sharing that makes the process of vetting new technologies, implementing successful programs and inspiring innovation more efficient, more accessible, more global and more collaborative. Our global teams are driven by the firm belief that we should not have to wait years for promising innovations, ideas and processes to be implemented and accepted. Around the world, our teams develop trials and conduct pilot studies to aid in the discovery of successful research to market technological advancements. InfectionControl.tips – The www.IC.tips journal is a Pan-Access, worldwide collective that extends globally and touches locally. We are a 100% volunteer-based organization. We do not accept advertising or influence. The articles and contributions on our journal are from volunteers, edited for accuracy and free of influence from special interest. We do not pay our authors. Our ISSN is 2369-7342. Our journal utilizes all the same depositories as other journals (ResearchGate, Google Scholar). However, unlike other journals the IC.tips platform is consistently marketed to over 500 groups in social media. We are the world's largest global health platform for infection prevention and control. Our motto is: Free to Publish. Free to Access. Accessible Scientific Services. Subscribe to Weekly Updates If you like what we're doing here, then please consider signing up for our weekly newsletter. You'll get one email from me each week detailing: New podcast episodes and blog posts. Content or ideas that I've found valuable in the past week. Insider info about the show like stats, upcoming episodes and future plans that I won't put anywhere else. Plain text and straight from the heart :) No SPAM or fancy graphics and you can unsubscribe with a single click anytime. The #HCBiz Show! is produced by Glide Health IT, LLC in partnership with Netspective Media. Music by StudioEtar

The World Health Organization has described antibiotic resistance as one of the biggest threats to global health and food security. It is estimated that at least 700,000 people die globally each year from ‘superbug’ infections that are resistant to antimicrobial medicines and this is predicted to rise to 10 million by 2050. This episode explores what exactly we mean by antibiotic resistance, the use of antibiotics in food production, the potentially devastating effects of not addressing antibiotic resistance and solutions to this frightening problem. The speakers are Dr Clare Chandler (Associate Professor in Medical Anthropology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) and Dr. Lucy Brunton (Lecturer in Molecular Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College).

The most important thing we do on The #HCBiz Show! is confront reality. We don't complain about how things are, or how they ought to be. We know that's a dead-end. Instead, we examine our current situation and identify our obstacles. Then we come up with practical ideas for how to work through, under, around, or with those obstacles. That's the only reasonable approach for an innovator. Dealing with obstacles to Infection Control The Healthcare Infection Transmission Systems (HITS) conference (and the consortium behind it) gives us a wonderful example of this #HCBiz philosophy in action. The HITS consortium knows that the science and technology exist to make significant strides in Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) and Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) reduction. They also know that, while the benefits of the solutions seem obvious to many, it's not a slam-dunk to get health systems to adopt them in meaningful and sustainable ways. There are many reasons for this, and as usual, it all starts with communication and culture.  That's why the HITS consortium aims to bring experts from many disciplines together for this conference to address these issues collaboratively. The consortium's goal, as steering committee member Dr. Christine Greene put it, is to promote "the how and why in support of culturally relevant and contextually anchored quality improvement initiatives". If you're a fan of The #HCBiz Show!, it'll come as no surprise to you that we love that idea. A scientific analysis of culture and communication The events keynote speaker is Myles Leslie, Ph.D. Myles is a Healthcare Sociologist and Institutional Ethnographer. Ethnography, which is a new concept for me, is basically a scientific way to understand a day in the life. The following excerpt from his speaker bio will give you a pretty good idea at what HITS is trying to accomplish here: As part of this work, he has engaged the full spectrum of health system stakeholders, including policy makers, healthcare administrators, clinical specialists, clinical support staff, and patients and families. Dr. Leslie uses ethnography and its allied qualitative methods to identify and break down communication barriers and cultural silos between these stakeholders. His expertise is in surfacing communications issues and cultural interactions that can remain buried in the normal flow of clinical or policy work and in quantitative studies. By addressing questions of how and why that purely quantitative designs are often ill-equipped to answer, Dr. Leslie's research enables the development of culturally-relevant, contextually-anchored QI interventions.  Yes, please. I think healthcare innovation would benefit from a healthy dose of Ethnography across the board. What you'll learn from the show So, we're bringing you a preview of the HITS conference for several reasons: To dig deeper into the HITS consortium's approach to innovation, which aligns so well with the core philosophy of #HCBiz. To explore the conferences ties to our IPAC series. I received quite an education doing that series and now see IPAC as a critical element in the future of our healthcare system. To bring our listeners information on a small (~100 attendees), lesser-known conference that offers an opportunity for real connection and learning. We plan to bring you more of these in the coming months. You don't have to be in the IPAC space to get value from this conversation. Anyone innovating in healthcare should give our guests, Dr. Christine Greene and Dr. Kelly Reynolds a listen. Their thoughtful approach to innovation with a healthy respect for communication, culture, value, and proof is both instructive and refreshing. Here are a few highlights from our conversation: What is the HITS Consortium? (3:00) What is the HITS conference? (4:10) What made you decide that a conference was needed? (6:00) How can we help innovators isolate, quantify and effectively communicate the value they bring to the table? (9:00) Who should attend the conference? (19:45) Who are the most important people to get the HITS message in front of? (21:00) If you could get a message in front of every healthcare CEO in America, what would you tell them? (23:15) If you only listen to 2 minutes of this show, start here. Both of their answers are spot on! Where can people learn more? (25:00) I hope you enjoy it! ~ Don Lee Check it out on: http://bit.ly/HCBiz-iTunes  http://bit.ly/HCBiz-GooglePlay  http://bit.ly/HCBiz-Stitcher  Prefer to read it? Ok, but you'll have to wait a bit. Transcription coming soon! About Dr. Christine Greene Christine Greene, MPH, Ph.D. Principal Investigator for Sanitation and Contamination Control NSF International, Applied Research Center Ann Arbor, MI Dr. Christine Greene has over 9 years of experience in epidemiological and laboratory research. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences and an MPH in Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her academic research focus has been on healthcare pathogen transmission, pathogen environmental survival, and biofilms which has led to multiple publications. At NSF International, Dr. Greene has been making strides to improve public health in the areas of infectious disease prevention and control in clinical and dental settings. Her research focus in on healthcare pathogen transmission, pathogen environmental survival, disinfection, hand hygiene and biofilms. Her work serves to improve the accuracy of environmental mediated infectious disease transmission modeling, strengthens current guidelines to control healthcare-associated infections and provides new insights that will stimulate innovative approaches to reduce the risk of biofilm-related infections, pathogen transmission and curtail the environmental persistence and transmission of infectious agents. Dr. Greene also co-founded the Healthcare Infection Transmission Systems (HITS) Consortium – an organization that strives to break down silos in healthcare using a cross-disciplinary, systems approach to addressing the pressing issues around infection control. About Dr. Kelly A. Reynolds Kelly A. Reynolds, MSPH, PhD Associate Professor University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Dr. Reynolds is an Associate Professor in Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Arizona's College of Public Health, and Director of the Environment, Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center. She has over 29 years of experience as an environmental microbiologist and directing a research program related to infectious disease transmission, quantitative risk assessment, and public health policy and education. The relationship of fomite, hand and air contamination and pathogen survival characteristics relative to human health outcomes has been a common theme in Dr. Reynolds' research. During the course of her academic career, she has served as a principal investigator on numerous projects and published over 350 journal articles, book chapters and professional reports. Recent and related projects involved the risk of MRSA transmission via hospital personnel scrubs, evaluation of an infection control intervention for first responders, development of infectious waste disposal protocols, tracking environmental microbiomes in long-term care facilities and testing methods for decontamination of soft surfaces in healthcare environments. As co-founder of the HITS Consortium, Dr. Reynolds brings her expertise in integrating academic research teams with medical personnel, clinical diagnostic laboratories, patients, industries and other stakeholders for a multidisciplinary approach toward research, communication and management efforts in infection prevention. About Healthcare Infection Transmission Systems (HITS) The Healthcare Infections Transmission System (HITS) Consortium looks to promote public health by reducing healthcare-associated infections through the integration of best infection prevention practices. HITS will focus on the major pathogen transmission systems in the healthcare setting specifically; surfaces, person to person, water and air. Join us for this one-of-a-kind, multimodal event where researchers and experts from across disciplines will work toward identifying research gaps and applying data-driven methods in the field. Meet, greet and share ideas with the individuals and organizations who are growing and sustaining the industry, as we explore creative and innovative solutions to this global problem. How is HITS different? This year's conference theme is Catalyst for Change. Fittingly, HITS will take a holistic perspective to targeting healthcare associated infections. The conference looks to focus on “hospital health.” By including multiple disciplines in the conversation, HITS looks to remove silos and encourage a systems approach, aligning with infection prevention. Who Should Attend? Hospital management and Administrators Healthcare facilities and Environmental Services managers Research Scientists and Industry experts All those with backgrounds in: Building water health Environmental microbiology Environmental transmission Epidemiology Ethnography Infection prevention Healthcare Environmental Services (EVS) Healthcare Facilities Management Hand hygiene Learn more: Web: http://www.hitsconsortium.org Register: http://www.hitsconsortium.org/registration.php Speakers: http://www.hitsconsortium.org/speakers.php For questions or to join their mailing list, email: hits@nsf.org Twitter: @HITSConsortium LinkedIn Collaborative Partners: NSF International University of Arizona Sedexo InfectionControl.tips The Ohio State University Weekly Updates If you like what we're doing here, then please consider signing up for our weekly newsletter. You'll get one email from me each week detailing: New podcast episodes and blog posts. Content or ideas that I've found valuable in the past week. Insider info about the show like stats, upcoming episodes and future plans that I won't put anywhere else. The question of the week. Plain text and straight from the heart :) No SPAM or fancy graphics and you can unsubscribe with a single click anytime. About the Infection Prevention and Control Series If you liked this episode then you should also check out our 8-Part Series on Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC). We'd like to thank our partners InfectionControl.tips and the Center of Excellence for Infection Prevention and Control (COE IPAC) for their support and guidance with that series. About InfectionControl.tips InfectionControl.tips is a Pan-Access journal that extends globally and touches locally. www.IC.tips is: Free to Publish. Free to Access and provides Accessible Scientific Services. About Center of Excellence for Infection Prevention and Control (COE IPAC) Center of Excellence for Infection Prevention and Control (COE IPAC) is a collaborative effort to accelerate and support new solutions that hold the promise of significantly advancing infection prevention and control. On a quarterly basis, the Center of Excellence will evaluate at least 3 international innovations – giving them access to independent testing, publication as well as a US commercialization site The #HCBiz Show! is produced by Glide Health IT, LLC in partnership with Netspective Media.

Dr. Shannon Manning is a Michigan State University (MSU) Foundation Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. She earned her B.S. in biology from the University of Michigan, her M.P.H. in Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology, and her Ph.D. in Molecular Epidemiology from the University of Michigan. Afterwards, Shannon was awarded an Emerging Infectious Disease Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Shannon is with us today to tell us all about her journey through life and science.

This week we're talking about meningitis and legal issues surrounding parents and standards of care. We speak with three members of The Maiden Lab, a multidisciplinary group working on understanding the biology of bacterial pathogens, including meningitis. From their team we were joined by Martin Maiden, Professor of Molecular Epidemiology in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford; Charlene Rodrigues, Wellcome Trust Clinical Doctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford; and Kanny Diallo, a Wellcome Trust Training Fellow working on her PhD at the University of Oxford, who studies ecology and molecular epidemiology in the African Meningitis Belt....

Dr. Jim Stephenson '84, Research Triangle Institute International scientist and member of the Genomics and Molecular Epidemiology team. Originally aired January 13, 2007.