From Congress Chairpersons

In collaboration with The American Institute for Healthcare Quality (AIHQ), the Society of Healthcare Academicians, Oklahoma University Health Science Center, Turkish Standardization Institute, TÜRKAK, European Society for Quality in Health Care, Turkish Quality Society, invite abstract proposals for presentations at the Fourth Annual International Conference on Healthcare Quality, Accreditation and Patient Safety. This is being planned for Antalya, Turkey from 24-27 February 2010.

 

The CDC estimates that up to one-third of infections acquired in health care settings are preventable. From relatively minor urinary tract infections to life-threatening infections of the bloodstream and pneumonia, hospital-acquired infections vary in gravity. The CDC reports that hospital infections cost the American public nearly $5 billion in healthcare costs each year. The extra costs are the result of the additional days - or weeks – patients are required to stay in the hospital to treat the new infection. While the precise causes are difficult to pinpoint, some hospital-acquired infections can be attributed to human error, such as failure to properly sterilize or disinfect objects coming into contact with a patient or properly isolate a susceptible patient from potential carriers.

 

It is true that we have come a long way towards health care improvements. Countries around the world are increasingly using the same language of quality and subscribe to the same objectives for healthcare quality and safety. However, the current phase of improvement is faced with a considerable challenge. Recent and new reports on health systems performance point to considerable challenges for improvements especially in efficiency, clinical outcomes, patient safety, healthcare associated infections, and reduction of healthcare errors.

 

The conference’s focus is on the methodologies that enhance patient safety and improve quality of patient care. From invited plenary presentations, selected workshops, oral and poster presentations, participants will have opportunities to explore collaborative approaches to quality improvement among users, providers and donor organizations, and to examine new systems and ideas that reach across traditional boundaries

 

With the theme “Enhancing Patient Safety: Prevention and Control of Health Care Associated Infections.” this multidisciplinary healthcare quality conference will be of value to:

Ø Policy makers

Ø Planners

Ø Professionals, physicians, surgeons, microbiologists, nurses

Ø Researchers, healthcare administrators

Ø Quality improvement professionals

Ø Infection Control coordinators

Ø Providers

Ø Consumers and their representatives

 

The central theme in this conference will therefore be “Enhancing Patient Safety: Prevention and Control of Health Care Associated Infections.”

The objectives of the conference are;

1.     To discuss ways to enhance patient safety, risk management and the reduction of medical errors. 

2.     To present international and domestic perspectives on infection prevention and control from patient safety perspective.

3.     To review and update scientific evidence in the following areas:  

1.     Surveillance strategies, innovative methods, technologies and pitfalls

2.     Prevention and control methodologies

3.     Prevention of antimicrobial resistance and optimizing antimicrobial stewardship

4.     Advances in medical and laboratory technologies and occupational health issues for healthcare workers

5.     Immuno-compromised, high risk, and unique patient populations 

6.     Environmental transmission prevention strategies in HAI

4.     To explore the current methods, emerging evidence-based practices and challenges associated with trying to eliminate preventable infections.

5.     To define innovative methods to translate research and apply epidemiologic, organizational behavior and implementation principals into quality improvement practices and action in hospitals and other healthcare settings.

6.     To review and promote more effective detection, surveillance, and prevention strategies in non-acute health care settings (e.g., dialysis centers).

7.     To describe the influence of healthcare  and economic policy changes  on innovation in Health Associated Infection (HAI) prevention; including: 

1.     Regulatory changes

2.     Reimbursement changes, both selective reimbursement and performance-based strategies

3.     Changes in local, national or international reporting of HAI rates

8.     To define the optimal workforce, its training and resource needs, and capacity building requirements to support successful HAI elimination programs.

 

We may also think of the following related themes:

1.     Patient-centered Care

2.     Performance improvement and “paying” for quality.

3.     Institutional and Provider Accountability

4.     Advancing healthcare technology. 

5.     Professional Accountability and related systems

6.     Healthcare system infrastructure.

7.     Efficiency in delivery and care

8.     Innovation in communication and training.

9.     Moral and ethical behavior in delivering healthcare services.

10.   Preparing for the worse.

 

As Co-Chairs of the Conference, we are looking forward with great enthusiasm and interest to meeting each and every one of you and working with you during this conference period. The location is special, Antalya, Turkish Riviera in a country where the three continents that made up the old world converge. We hope you will join us in Antalya February 2010