EXPLORE PD HINDUJA HOSPITAL'S INFECTION CONTROL SECRET

PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre recently invested in the digitalization of its Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) program by roping in Ibhar Technologies. Healthcare Radius interviewed Dr Camilla Rodrigues, Consultant Microbiologist, and Chairperson - Infection Control Committee, PD Hinduja Hospital, Joy Chakraborty, the hospital COO, and C Bernard, MD, Ibhar Technologies, to understand this development better. Excerpts of the interview:

Why are nosocomial infections an important subject today?

Dr Camilla Rodrigues: Nosocomial infections mean hospital-acquired infections. The word, 'nosocomial' comes from the 17th century word form, 'nosocome', which meant 'hospital'. These are the infections that we would ascribe to a patient getting admitted to a hospital, say for a surgery, getting an infection within the hospital, and then going back. It is something that she or he didn't anticipate at all earlier.

Joy Chakraborty: In the past, infection as a subject, remained confined to the domain of clinicians and the nurses. But today, being a hospital administrator, I can see that infections can play havoc in a hospital! When you are managing a hospital without much infection, especially in the ICU, it reduces the hospital-stay for patients. It helps patients to recover faster and also go home with a reduced bill amount. No infection is good news in terms of patient outcome.

Dr Camilla Rodrigues: Today, with the advancement of medicine, we are keeping our patients alive in ICUs for much longer. We are immune-suppressing them after transplants, during their oncology treatments, etc. And with that comes a huge burden or a great responsibility for the hospital to protect patients from nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections.

Joy Chakraborty: Sometimes these infections in the hospital can completely turn away the focus of patient care from one disease to another, leading to a new episode of sickness.

When did you start organizing Infection Prevention Week?

Joy Chakraborty: Infection Prevention Week has been a practice at PD Hinduja Hospital for more than 25 years now. It is organized every year. Since the beginning the hospital management has laid a major focus on patient safety. Our infection control efforts are driven by that belief system.