DICON provides sophisticated data analysis and metrics, access to experts in infection control, opportunities to share successful programs, and extensive educational initiatives related to infection prevention.
Associate DICON Medical Director, Dr. Sonali Advani, and the DICON IP team collected and analyzed data from DICON member hospitals to assess SARS-CoV-2 preparedness in community hospitals.
WThe team performed a cross-sectional survey of infection preventionists in 60 US community hospitals between April 22 and May 8, 2020, and found several differences in hospital preparedness for SARS-CoV-2 with respect to personal protective equipment conservation strategies, protocols related to testing, universal masking and restarting elective procedures.
The NCBI listing can be found here.
Emerging evidence suggests that Black and Hispanic communities in the United States are disproportionately affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A complex interplay of socioeconomic and healthcare disparities likely contribute to disproportionate COVID-19 risk.
Dr. Ibukun Akinboyo, from DUMC Pediatric Infectious Diseases and frequent supporter of DICON, worked with faculty from many medical centers to put together a pediatric infectious disease perspective of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 in children for the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.
In this Letter to the Editor, published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, DICON Drs Sonali Advani, Mike Yarrginton, Becky Smith, Dev Anderson, and Dan Sexton discuss the importance of universal masking in healthcare settings.
During the past 18 years DICON has provided epidemiological data and support to more than 40 hospitals in 6 states while simultaneously learning a great deal about the challenges and opportunities for infection prevention in community hospitals.
DICON has been a long-term and valuable partner with my hospitals and me in our joint efforts to prevent hospital-acquired infections and improve patient safety.
