An analysis of ICAR recommendations for long-term care facilities in Alabama

Matthew Fifolt; Natalie Baker; R Wade Menefee 3rd; Elena Kidd; Lisa C McCormick

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2024.05.001

An analysis of ICAR recommendations for long-term care facilities in Alabama

Am J Infect Control. 2024 May 9:S0196-6553(24)00493-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.05.001. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Matthew Fifolt¹, Natalie Baker², R Wade Menefee 3rd³, Elena Kidd⁴, Lisa C McCormick⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Policy and Organization, University of Alabama at Birmingham. Electronic address: mfifolt@uab.edu.
² Department of Nursing Acute, Chronic and Continuing Care and Infection Preventionist Supervisor, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
³ Alabama Nursing Home and Long-Term Care Strike Team, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
⁴ Office of Public Health Practice, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
⁵ School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Department of Health Policy and Organization, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

PMID: 38734237
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.05.001

Abstract

The Alabama Long-Term Care Strike Team was established in 2022 to help long-term care facilities (LTCFs) build and maintain infection prevention and control (IPC) systems. Infection preventionists use CDC's Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) tools to provide IPC-specific recommendations. Analysis of ICAR recommendations identified the three greatest training needs in Alabama: source control, hand hygiene, and environmental cleaning. The ICAR provides a standardized and objective way to monitor and mitigate IPC risk.

Keywords: Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control; American Rescue Plan of 2021 (H.R. 1319); Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR); infection prevention and control (IPC); long-term care facilities; long-term care strike team.