This week Crothall Healthcare summoned a team of experts to collaborate by “mastering and integrating what you are good at” and challenged them to define new standards to light a path of continuous improvement in lowering health care acquired infections — starting with hand washing and food safety.

Thirty leaders and experts gathered this week at the Crothall Healthcare Summit to develop strategies to decrease health care associated infections, including those acquired through food safety failures. Photo courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania.
Thirty leaders and experts gathered this week at the Crothall Healthcare Summit to develop strategies to decrease health care associated infections, including those acquired through food safety failures. Photo courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania.

The team of 30 included of a cross section of direct health care operational leaders plus a group of stakeholders and thought leaders representing a wide range of advanced technologies.

They gathered Dec.7-8 in Wayne, PA, at the headquarters of Crothall, which specializes in health care management services. This two-day event focused on industry realities and how to overcome financial and regulatory obstacles to set new standards of patient- and resident-focused care.

The challenge was put forth by Rich Feczko, national director of standards and innovation for Crothall. He asked the group “to work together with a singular focus of patient and resident experience.” This team will meet annually for a summit to amend its White Paper and accelerate the adoption of new information and technologies.

Their specific challenge was to define actions leading to the reduction of pain, suffering and the 479,000 annual deaths — in acute and long-term care according to CDC — caused by health care associated infections (HAIs). Such scenarios often arise along the trail connecting kitchens with the bed-table diner. This two day event focused on the industry realities and how to overcome the financial and regulatory obstacles, to set new standards of patient and resident focused care.

Summit sessions this week included discussions of today’s best practices and laid out a path for future priorities with a blend of technology, process control and behavior change from the executives in so-called C-suites to all the caregivers who have direct contact with patients and residents.

Topics like norovirus interventions were covered for nursing and culinary, both in hospitals and long-term care operations. Current voids in health care’s hand washing compliance monitoring were acknowledged and two pilot kitchen studies are being pursued as a result of this innovation-oriented event.

This meeting  kicked off a 10-month focus to define optimum integration of manpower and technology to assure the health and healing in acute and long-term care.

graphic hand washing hurdles

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