Lessons Learned from the Transition to Centralized Surveillance

Session Description: From 2021-2023, our Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) department transitioned to a centralized corporate department. This transition encompassed a multi-hospital health system, medical groups, and ambulatory care into a corporate department with role-specific centralized surveillance designated infection preventionists (IPs) and clinical "boots on the ground" IPs at each hospital. Utilizing Performance improvement techniques and value analysis, we have significantly succeeded in standardizing and strengthening the healthcare system IPC program. Key lessons learned include using technology platforms to achieve efficient team collaboration and buy-in, creating a system annual plan and risk assessment template, standardizing and strengthening surveillance processes, role-specific onboarding, increasing IPC involvement in system service lines, developing standardized electronic auditing tools, and increasing clinical IPC time supporting frontline staff. Change is challenging and frequently met with resistance. This presentation is valuable for any healthcare organization considering centralized surveillance and building a unified clinical IPC team across multiple facilities. However, even for smaller organizations, our development of IPC rounding tools and processes utilizing technology will aid in streamlining IPC daily practices and enhance the clinical IPC's role once surveillance tasks are centralized.