INFECTION PREVENTION INFECTION PREVENTION
Maintaining an Equal Partnership W
ithin any hospital or healthcare facility, the relationship between the Infection Prevention (IP) and Supply Chain departments is arguably one of the most important daily interactions, designed to ensure the safety of patients and healthcare workers alike. When these two departments work successfully together, the result can be seen in the level of infection prevention and care provided throughout the facility, as well as in the cost-savings to the patients and facility. However, like any relationship, a successful partnership between IP and Supply Chain requires communication and collaboration to ensure the pairing achieves its goal of best health- care practices.
According to Larinda Becker, Executive Director of Marketing - Infection Prevention at Diversey, maintaining a healthy balance between IP and Supply Chain comes down to fi ve steps. She said, “Maintaining a healthy balance between infection prevention and the supply chain is key to
Larinda Becker
helping ensure the safety and wellbeing of patients and healthcare workers.” The fi ve key components Becker cited are: 1. Collaboration: “Encourage open com- munication and collaboration between infection control teams, supply chain managers, and healthcare professionals. This will allow for the identifi cation of potential risks and the development of effective strategies to address them. We have seen that having frequent meetings
and discussing challenges, along with working together to help create effective solutions can help. Having cross-func- tional training for teams can also improve the understanding of each other’s roles and responsibilities and foster better decision-making.”
2. Education and Training: “Provide com- prehensive education and training to healthcare staff regarding infection pre- vention measures and the proper use of supplies and equipment. This will help ensure that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in preventing infections and using resources effi ciently.” 3. Regular Assessments: “Conduct regular assessments of infection prevention prac- tices and supply chain management. This includes monitoring compliance with protocols, evaluating the effectiveness of current practices, and identifying areas for improvement.”
4. Data Analysis: “Utilize data analysis and surveillance systems to track infection rates, supply utilization, and trends. This information can help identify patterns and potential risks that require atten- tion and intervention. By analyzing data together, they can identify trends, areas of improvement, and potential risks to patient safety.” 5. Continuous Improvement: “Foster a cul- ture of continuous improvement by encouraging feedback from healthcare professionals and fostering a positive learning environment. Regularly evaluate and update infection prevention protocols and supply chain processes based on new
18 August 2023 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
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between IP and Supply Chain Communication and collaboration remain keys to successful healthcare by Brenda Silva
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evidence and best practices. Also, it may help to establish common goals and objec- tives that align with both infection pre- vention and supply chain management. This can help in promoting a shared sense of responsibility and accountability.”
In agreement with Becker is Cory Turner, Senior Director Healthcare Strategy at Tecsys, who added, “Collaboration between teams is crucial as it helps identify common goals and leads to the development of a shared language, ulti- mately supporting more effective problem-solv- ing. Once a collaborative mindset is established, your best strategy is to leverage automation and standardize processes. Integrating auto- mation and automated workfl ows within the supply chain minimizes manual han- dling of products, thereby reducing the risk of infections by limiting opportunities for contamination.”
Cory Turner
He continued, “One example of using technology to streamline inventory man- agement and reduce manual handling is the implementation of barcode scanning or RFID tagging. These technologies enable healthcare professionals in both IP and Supply Chain departments to focus on their primary responsibilities while ensuring adherence to infection prevention practices.” Citing effi ciency through automation, Turner noted, “Many of our customers have deployed automation at the clinical point of use as part of supply chain transformation projects. Through the implementation of
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