The Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance (HAI) Program
The Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance (HAI) Program is part of the Infectious Disease Program in the Section of Epidemiology. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that patients get while being treated in a hospital or healthcare setting. About 1 in 20 hospitalized patients in the US will contract an HAI. These infections can cause serious health, emotional, and financial problems, but many are preventable.
What does the HAI Program do?
The HAI Program helps prevent infections by working with hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities. They check infection reports and offer advice on how to prevent infections. The program also supports healthcare workers during infection investigations and promotes careful use of antibiotics.
INFECTION CONTROL ASSESSMENT AND RESPONSE (ICAR) Consultations
The HAI program uses tools from the CDC to help hospitals and other healthcare places check and improve their infection prevention practices. They offer virtual and in-person consultations, helping healthcare settings respond to outbreaks or prevent them. Facilities can choose the type of consultation based on their needs. Schedule your ICAR today: email
rebecca.hamel@alaska.gov.
PROVIDER RESOURCES: ALASKA INFECTION PREVENTION NETWORK (AKIPN) Connection and Office Hours
Healthcare workers can join the
AK_IPS email group to get updates and connect with others in the field. It’s a great way to get information. To join the Alaska IP Network (AKIPN) email list, contact Miranda Burzinski at
mburzinski@mpqhf.org or Rebecca Hamel at
rebecca.hamel@alaska.gov.
When you
register for the Alaska Infection Prevention Network (AKIPN) Office Hours, you will have a meeting series added to your calendar for Office Hours twice a month on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays. CEUs are offered for the 4th Thursdays Learning Series.
AK- ICPAC
The Alaska Infection Control and Prevention Advisory Council (AK-ICPAC) was created in 2009 and includes professionals from different fields, like infection, prevention, public health and pharmacy. This council helps coordinate infection prevention efforts across Alaska.
Antimicrobial Stewardship
The HAI Program is part of the
Alaska Antimicrobial Stewardship Collaborative (A2SC), an organization that helps make sure antibiotics are used properly across Alaska.
Additional information about antimicrobial stewardship and why it is critically important can be found at
CDC's Antibiotic Prescribing and Use page.
HAI Data
The HAI Program collects data on infections and how to help prevent them using the
National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).
Education
The HAI Program provides many learning opportunities, including webinars and in-person events, to help healthcare workers learn about infection prevention. Each year, the program supports either an Infection Prevention Conference or a 2-day Infection Prevention Boot Camp for new or part-time staff.
What Alaska-specific HAI data are available?
The CDC produces a
HAI Progress Report that draws on NHSN data.
What Alaska-specific data about antibiotic resistance are available?
The Regional Antibiogram Project is the most recent data available. An
Epidemiology Bulletin explains the project and selected results. The actual antibiograms can also be downloaded.
Antibiograms older than 25 months can be found on the
Alaska State Libraries Archives & Museums digital collections portal.
What are the reporting rules in Alaska?
Healthcare providers and labs in Alaska must report certain drug-resistant infections, like Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), to the Alaska Section of Epidemiology. VRSA (vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) has not been reported in Alaska, but it should also be reported if it occurs.
Infections tracked through the NHSN do not need to be reported directly to the Alaska Section of Epidemiology. However, the HAI Program has access to this data. If a facility shares its NHSN data with the HAI Program, it meets the state reporting requirements.
Healthcare providers must report infections with nationally important drug-resistant bacteria to the state. This includes CRE and VRSA, along with unusual drug resistance. MRSA and Clostridium difficile infections don’t need to be reported unless through NHSN.
Outbreaks of any type of infection must also be reported. The HAI Program can assist with investigations and control efforts.