Infection Control

A specialized team works to prevent and treat infections at Intermountain Medical Center and throughout the community

Intermountain Medical Center takes the prevention and treatment of infections seriously. An infectious disease team at the hospital focuses exclusively on preventing and treating infectious diseases like tuberculosis, RSV, flu, chicken pox, etc. They also work with other hospitals in Intermountain Healthcare and throughout the community.

A summary of infection prevention and treatment. The nine members of the team include physicians who specialize in infection control and treatment, pharmacists, specially-trained infection prevention and control nurses, laboratory specialists, and office staff. An overview of their work:

• Infectious disease physicians are available to consult with bedside physicians about patients who have infectious diseases and make recommendations regarding their care.
• The team works to prevent infectious disease inside and outside of the hospital setting by promoting and consulting on vaccinations, pre-operative antibiotics, other antibiotics, and the implementation of evidence-based policies and procedures aimed at reducing hospital-acquired infections.
• The staff monitors patients who have infectious diseases and those who care for them.
• They implement procedures and educate staff about the safest and most effective way to treat patients.
• They develop strategies and campaigns to prevent hospital-acquired infections and encourage proper safety measures at the bedside.
• They educate healthcare workers about safety precautions such as handwashing and appropriate use of gloves, gowns, and masks.
• They monitor staff to ensure compliance with regulations from the Centers for Disease Control, Joint Commission, OSHA, and other regulatory agencies.

The result: Patients and employees are protected, disease is prevented, medical outcomes improve, and healthcare costs are reduced.