What's covered
HSO’s Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Standards provide a framework to plan, implement, and evaluate an effective IPC program based on evidence and best practices in the field. The literature shows that well-designed IPC programs are cost-effective because they reduce health careassociated infections, shorten the length of hospital stays, and decrease the cost of treating health careassociated infections.
The HSO standards outline the key routine practices and additional precautions necessary for an effective IPC program, including:
- Point-of-care risk assessment
- Hand hygiene
- Aseptic techniques
- Personal protective equipment
- Cleaning and disinfection of the physical environment
- Handling waste and linen
Promoting a collaborative approach to protecting the safety of clients and staff, the Infection Prevention and Control Standards contain the following sections:
- Planning and Developing the IPC Program
- Implementing the IPC Program
- Evaluating the Impact of the IPC Program
Note on Reprocessing and Sterilization of Reusable Medical Devices Standards:
HSO developed the Reprocessing and Sterilization of Reusable Medical Devices Standards to evaluate reprocessing activities that are completed inside the Medical Device Reprocessing (MDR) department. To cover reprocessing activities completed outside the MDR department, the following standards were updated with reprocessing content for medical devices/equipment:
- Infection Prevention and Control
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Operating Rooms
- Ambulatory Care
- Obstetrics
HSO introduced reprocessing content to the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Standards for organizations that do not have an MDR department and therefore will not be evaluated against the Reprocessing and Sterilization Standards. To avoid duplication in requirements, the reprocessing section will be removed for organizations that are using the Reprocessing and Sterilization Standards.
Who this standard is for
HSO introduced reprocessing content to the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Standards for organizations that do not have an MDR department and therefore will not be evaluated against the Reprocessing and Sterilization Standards. To avoid duplication in requirements, the reprocessing section will be removed for organizations that are using the Reprocessing and Sterilization Standards.