Upcoming Webinar Environmental Services (EVS) and Infection Prevention (IP) in Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs): Building a Partnership Wednesday, September 26, 2018 9–10 a.m. PT View Webinar Flyer As part of the Knock Out Infections—ASC Infection Prevention Initiative funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to help reduce surgical site infections (SSIs) in ASCs, Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG) invites you to attend this important event. This webinar will discuss the importance of partnering between EVS and IP in ASCs. Annual competency examples will be shared to ensure that EVS staff receive ongoing education and training for their role. Webinar Objectives: Describe partnership opportunities between EVS and IP. Create a competency for annual EVS staff education. Build a partnership and implement a competency process with EVS. Speaker: Angela Vassallo, MPH, MS, CIC, FAPIC, Clinical Improvement Advisor, Infection Prevention, HSAG Continuing Education (CE): Health Services Advisory Group, Inc. is the CE provider for this event. Provider approved by the Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 16578, for 1 contact hour. Pending approval. There is no charge to attend this event.

In Partnership with

Upcoming Conferences and Trainings

CASA 2018 Annual Conference September 5–7, 2018 Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa 21500 Pacific Coast Hwy Huntington Beach, CA 92648

CASA 11th Annual Infection Prevention Seminar November 7–8, 2018 The Westin South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa 686 Anton Blvd. Costa Mesa, CA 92626

HSAG will be in attendance at both events; we look forward to seeing you there!  Non-CASA members are welcome. User account setup is required.

Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) ASC Intensive Training September 17–20, 2018 Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor 222 St. Paul Place Baltimore, MD 21202

APIC ASC Intensive Training November 5–8, 2018 Hilton Garden Inn Louisville Downtown 350 W. Chestnut St. Louisville, KY 40202

California APIC Foundations in Infection Prevention November 15–17, 2018 Scripps Health—Corporate Offices 10010 Campus Point Drive Building CPC (Annex) Assembly Conference Room San Diego, CA 92121

Physician's Corner: The Operating Room (OR) Environment

Perhaps nowhere is the age-old adage “cleanliness is next to godliness” more relevant and germane than in the preparation of the OR and its contents for our patient's use. The role played by the professionals of the EVS staff are often taken for granted by those of us who work in the ASC setting. After all, we expect the highest level of cleanliness in our facilities that must meet rigorous mandated standards by ensuring that operating rooms, instruments, and all supplies are not only free of potentially disease-causing organisms, but are always maintained at the same high-level regardless of procedure being performed or specialist involved. This month’s eblast and the upcoming September 26 webinar will go into detail on the role EVS plays in keeping the environment—the surroundings in which we work in the ASC setting—safe for our patients, and free of the microbes that can lead to an SSI. Best practices will be shared and information pertaining to the various types of ASC settings will be presented so that ASC personnel and professionals can gain a better understanding of the OR environment and its relationship to our goal of eliminating SSIs. Howard Pitluk, MD, MPH, FACS, Vice President for Medical Affairs & Chief Medical Officer, HSAG

Tools & Resources

Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Environmental Cleaning Guidelines

CDC Differentiation between Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities

CMS CMS Empowers Patients and Ensures Site-Neutral Payment in Proposed Rule

San Francisco APIC Playbook EVS Optimization Toolkit

View More Provider Resources

WEBSITE | PROVIDER RESOURCES | PATIENT RESOURCES | PARTNERS |  ON-SITE CONSULTATION

This material was prepared by Health Services Advisory Group, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for California, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. Publication No. CA-11SOW-ASC-08242018-01