Infection Control

Location:

First Floor

Hours:

8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday (on call 24 hours/day)

Department Information:

410-337-1396

The goal of the Infection Prevention and Control Department (IPAC) is to focus on the prevention of healthcare associated infections. The IPAC department has a strong program to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections in patients, including neonate, pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric inpatients and outpatients, healthcare workers and visitors.

One of our main goals is to sustaining greater than 90% compliance with hand hygiene and isolation practices and we have been successful with this goal. We encourage you to follow these guidelines for hand hygiene while at our medical center.

• Hand hygiene must be performed (hand sanitizer OR soap and water):
  • Upon arrival at the health care facility
  • Before and after direct patient contact
  • When entering the patient’s room
  • When leaving the patient’s room
  • After removing gloves
  
   
• Must use soap and water hand hygiene:
  • Before eating
  • After using the restroom
  • Any time hands are visibly soiled

To prevent the spread of contagious diseases in the medical center, we follow the Center’s for Disease Control guidelines for Standard and Isolation precautions. Standard precautions are the foundation to prevent the spread of healthcare associated infections and include hand hygiene as well as the use of personal protective equipment. In addition, patients with suspected or confirmed communicable diseases are placed on isolation precautions. For the protection of our visitors and because they can spread infections as well, we expect all visitors to follow our isolation precautions. Prior to visiting a patient, please check the signs outside of their room and follow all recommendations noted on the sign.

Our goal is to involve our patients in their care. If at any time you have a question for one of our qualified Infection Preventionists, please call our department. Hand hygiene remains the single most important way you can stop spreading germs.