Infection control in home care

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Healthcare Management
• Public Health

Background:

• Home care services have significantly expanded in the US.
• Current infection surveillance and control in home care settings are inadequate.
• Existing infection control practices are often unsuitable for the home environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the need for improved infection surveillance, prevention, and control in home care.
• To emphasize the necessity of developing valid and reliable surveillance methods.
• To advocate for the adaptation of infection control principles for home care settings.

Main Methods:

• Review of current home care infection control practices.
• Analysis of the applicability of acute-care infection control models to home settings.
• Identification of essential components for home care infection control training.

Main Results:

• Infection surveillance and control efforts in US home care have not kept pace with service expansion.
• Many acute-care infection control practices are not practical or cost-effective in the home.
• There is a lack of standardized definitions and methods for home care infection surveillance.

Conclusions:

• Home care requires tailored infection control strategies distinct from acute-care settings.
• Training for home care providers should be based on fundamental infectious disease control principles.
• Developing appropriate surveillance methods and prevention strategies is essential for patient safety in home care.