MILFORD, OHIO, May 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ramps up the nation’s attempts to neutralize antibiotic/anti-microbial resistance (AMR) in hospitals, DNV GL Healthcare is working closely with both the agency and the provider community.
Antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance – where bacteria have evolved to overcome pharmaceutical regimens – have become a mounting problem when treating patients, particularly those in the acute care setting. According to the CDC, at least 2 million people contract an antibiotic-resistant infection in the U.S. every year, and at least 23,000 die.
The crux of the CDC’s program is known as the AMR challenge (https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/intl-activities/amr-challenge.html). It includes ramping up infection control recommendations, and improving the use of antibiotics in order to reduce the growth of what are known as multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs), among other measures.
DNV GL is promoting the AMR challenge through a multi-pronged effort that includes promoting the initiative to its client hospitals and launching a new certification program for infection prevention. The certification includes a focus on prevention of hospital-acquired infections in patients, healthcare workers, visitors, volunteers and contractors, and detection of and rapid response to epidemics, among other requirements. It includes a multi-day survey by DNV GL staff.
Five hospitals are currently certified by DNV GL for infection prevention, with many more in the application process. More about the Certification in Infection Prevention may be found here (https://www.dnvgl.us/assurance/healthcare/standards/cip-dl.html).
Additionally, for the first time in DNV GL history, CDC officials will participate in the organization’s Annual Symposium. Dr. Denise Cardo, director of the division of healthcare quality promotion at the CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, will be speaking at the Symposium, November 6-8 in Cincinnati.
“Antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest challenges current facing healthcare providers not only in the United States, but worldwide,” said Patrick Horine, President of DNV GL Healthcare. “DNV GL is making every effort to ensure that the nation’s hospitals are safer for both patients and staff.”
Hundreds of hospitals across the United States have switched to DNV GL Healthcare over the past decade, making it the nation’s fastest-growing accrediting body. The organization accredits more than 500 hospitals in the US.
“We want to identify innovative practices and approaches to address aspects that improve quality, efficiency and enhance patient care,” said Gary Davis, DNV GL Business Assurance North American Regional Manager. “Our success is attributable to the unique approach we take with our hospital customers to use the quality management system to their advantage.”
ABOUT DNV GL
DNV GL Business Assurance is a world-leading certification body. We help businesses assure the performance of their organizations, products, people, facilities and supply chains through certification, verification, assessment, and training services. Within healthcare we help our customers achieve excellence by improving quality and patient safety through hospital accreditation, managing infection risk, management system certification and training.
The DNV GL Group operates in more than 100 countries. Our 12,500 professionals are dedicated to helping our customers make the world safer, smarter and greener. www.dnvglcert.com/healthcare.
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