Agency Awards $34 Million to Fight Infections in LTC Facilities, Other Settings

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has awarded $34 million for projects focused on preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in healthcare facilities, including long-term care.

Based on estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year there are nearly 2 million HAIs in hospitals, which contribute to almost 100,000 deaths. While there is a growing body of knowledge regarding the number of infections and methods to reduce those infections within hospitals, there is not enough information currently available on infections originating in other healthcare settings, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality said in a release.

The agency’s new projects will have some focus on long-term care facilities because more than 1.5 million residents are particularly vulnerable to infections. Funded projects will contribute to implement the strategies outlined in the Department of Health and Human Services’ Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections.

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Complete list of projects taking place in long-term care facilities

Infection control update from an APIC veteran