Salinas, CA : CDC Focuses On Preventable Infections Spreading At Cancer Clinics : View From A Private Duty Caregiver

   by Richard Kuehnin Health / Anti Aging    (submitted 2011-11-09)

Serving Carmel, Carmel Valley, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Gilroy, Gonzalez, Greenfield, Hollister, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, San Juan Bautista, Seaside And Soledad California

I wrote recently on my blog about the huge problem hospitals are having dealing with antibiotic-resistant infections. They're more prevalent in U.S. hospitals than in any other developed country. And they are extremely dangerous for the elderly with weakened immune systems. Now comes news that there is a major worry about serious infections spreading from person to person at outpatient cancer treatment clinics. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a campaign to try and reduce the rate of infection for the 1 mil. people who receive chemotherapy and radiation treatment at oncology clinics each year. Most of us have been to a Doctor's On Duty or a similar facility filled with people hacking and blowing their noses. We often wonder if we would have been better off at home. But cancer patients are at particular risk because their system is often so weak after receiving aggressive chemo and radiation treatments. Unfortunately, unlike hospitals, many outpatient clinics don't have regular inspection and formal infection-control programs. The CDC recently released a report which said that about 60,000 cancer patients are hospitalized each year with infections, many of which may be preventable. "Cancer patients are often struggling to maintain their health and these preventable infections can undermine their progress," Joseph Perz, a CDC epidemiologist, told the Wall Street Journal. "Not all outpatient providers understand or recognize the importance of infection control," he said. Hopefully, the CDC plan will raise awareness of this important issue. They plan to issue voluntary guidelines to clinics urging them to adhere to strict hand-hygiene guidelines, sterile techniques for preparing and administering medications and safe injection practices. For more information about this initiative, go to preventcancerinfections.org.
http://www.familyinhomecaregiving.com/blog/index.html?entry

View the Original article