food-borne illness outbreak, Dr. Lerner says he mostly monitors incidences of hospital-acquired infections and colo- nization in an effort to minimize their spread within the hospital. “I also work to ensure vaccination against influenza and other communi- cable diseases for hospital workers, and I promote hand washing and the use of protective equipment to prevent the spread of disease,” he said.
CDC tracks antibiotic use in hospitals
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a new antibiotic tracking system that allows hospitals to monitor antibiotic use elec-
tronically, make better decisions about how to improve use, and compare them- selves to other hospitals. Before, CDC was able to track antibiotic use only in doctors’ offices. “Antibiotic use leads to antibiotic re- sistance, which is a major public health problem,” said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH. “Hospitals and other health care facilities should monitor the antibiotics used in their facilities. This new system is a powerful tool that will enhance providers’ ability to monitor and improve patterns of antibiotic use so that these essential drugs will still be effective in the years to come.” The antibiotic use tracking system
is part of CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network, a tool for monitoring infections in health care facilities, in- cluding more than 4,800 hospitals. CDC has funded four health departments and their academic partners to implement the tracking system in 70 hospitals. In
addition, any hospital that participates in the network can use this tool by work- ing directly with its pharmacy software vendor to transmit data electronically from drug administration or bar cod- ing records. There is no manual entry of data, thus saving a facility time and money. To access a list of pharmacy software
vendors that are working with CDC’s new antibiotic use tracking system, visit the Society for Infectious Diseases Phar- macists website,
www.sidp.org. n
Crystal Conde is associate editor of Texas Medicine. You can reach her by telephone at (800) 880-1300, ext. 1385, or (512) 370-1385; by fax at (512) 370-1629; or by email at
crystal.conde@
texmed.org.
Take advantage of this FREE member benefi t ... including FREE CME!
The Future of Health Care Is in Your Hands
TMA’s Premier Educational Showcase and Expo for Texas Physicians and Medical Students
Make Big D your destination May 18-19 for FREE CME, networking with colleagues, and discovering business solutions for your practice in the Expo Hall. Highlights of TexMed 2012 include General Session speaker Dr. Anna Pou, TEXPAC’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Dinner, TMA Foundation’s Gala, and a book signing with TMA’s 2012 Distinguished Service Award Winner, Dr. Virginia Connally.
TexMed 2012 May 18-19 Dallas
54 TEXAS MEDICINE March 2012
Register for the conference today at
www.texmed.org/texmed2012! T6483 TexMed 2012 1/2 pg
Ad.indd 1
2/8/12 8:54 PM
Big in size, Dallas is also big at heart, a city that loves to have fun. You’ll want to plan for a few extra days to stay and see the sights. Bring your family and enjoy dining and shopping in the numerous neighborhoods just a few blocks from the Sheraton Dallas or a quick ride on the DART. Deep Ellum, Galleria, The Arboretum, and a Rangers game are just a few of the options for a fabulous weekend in Big D!
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60