Infection control in long-term care

Elderly residents of long-term care facilities are especially vulnerable to certain infectious diseases such as pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and skin or soft tissue infections. As part of quality of care, the detection, control, and prevention of infections in long-term care facilities through an organized infection control program is a requirement of federal, state, and professional regulatory agencies. Implementation of the major components of an infection control program requires a cooperative interdisciplinary effort among the facility administration, medical director, infection control committee, infection control practitioner, staff, and local health department.