APIC Celebrates 25th Anniversary of International Infection Prevention Week
The 2011 commemoration features a policy summit on Oct. 19 in Washington, D.C., hosted by APIC and the National Journal.
Infection preventionists, policy makers, patient safety advocates, health care professionals, administrators, and consumers will join the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), in collaboration with its global partners, in commemorating International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW), Oct. 16-22
This year marks the silver anniversary for the event, first established in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan.
IIPW highlights the infection prevention profession and its partnerships with other health care stakeholders. Nearly 30 associations and societies and half of all U.S. states have signed on to support IIPW, broadening the reach and scope of this event, under the theme of “infection prevention is everyone’s business.”
“As we mark the 25th anniversary of IIPW, we celebrate the substantial progress that has been made in preventing certain health care-associated infections, which have been identified as a winnable battle by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” said APIC 2011 President Russell Olmsted, MPH, CIC. “But we have a long way to go to attain our ultimate objective of eliminating preventable infections. We believe that the added focus on these issues during IIPW will help us to sustain and accelerate progress toward this objective.”
The 2011 commemoration features a policy summit on Oct. 19 in Washington, D.C., hosted by APIC and the National Journal. The summit, which will be webcast live and archived, will feature a panel discussion with policy experts focusing on the resources necessary to eliminate preventable infections, how health care reform efforts can improve outcomes for patients, and the important role of infection preventionists.
APIC will also offer a series of webinars for health professionals on current infection prevention topics. The keynote webinar on Oct. 17 will feature the presidents of APIC and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) discussing a partnership paradigm for the future of infection prevention and healthcare epidemiology.
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