ISMS Announces Collaboration to Promote Infection Control Best Practices

ISMS President
Rodney S. Alford, M.D., M.B.A.

December 15, 2023

I am pleased to announce that ISMS will be partnering with the American Medical Association to advance the goals of Project Firstline, a national collaborative led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that provides infection control training and education to frontline health care workers and public health personnel. For the next few months, ISMS will be sharing information and strategies from Project Firstline that will help physicians and other healthcare workers protect themselves, their patients and the public from infectious disease and limit their spread through consistent and targeted infection control measures.

Healthcare settings are at greater risk for the spread of disease and infectious illness due to the close interactions of healthcare workers and patients, many of whom are seeking care because they are already sick. Individuals who are already ill or weak may also be more susceptible to infection, as well as patient populations such as the elderly, children, and immunocompromised people who frequently interact with the healthcare system. To protect both patients and the healthcare professionals who treat them, it is vital that we recognize these elevated risks and take appropriate action to reduce the spread of infection.

Through February, ISMS will be sharing Project Firstline resources, and using our social media channels and member newsletters to highlight some important aspects of infection control and share information to help physicians and others practice effective management strategies in their offices and facilities. You can also access Project Firstline online resources through the ISMS website.

In addition, ISMS will be hosting a series of live webinars led by Emily Landon, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and the leader of the Infection Prevention and Control Program at the University of Chicago. This three-part series will focus on how smaller practices, ambulatory care settings, and other non-hospital-based physicians can implement infection control programs. It is our hope that these informative presentations will address gaps in infection control knowledge and practice among healthcare professionals. If you cannot attend the live events, all of our Project Firstline webinars will be available to view on-demand through the ISMS Education Center.

The Covid-19 health emergency highlighted for all of us the potential for disruption caused by inadequately controlled infectious diseases. As physicians, we can do our part to contain future public health emergencies and promote routine wellness among our patients by educating ourselves on the latest infection control strategies. Join ISMS and Project Firstline this winter to learn more about how you can contain and prevent infections in your practice.

^{Throughout my term as president, I can be reached at dralford@isms.org. Please don't hesitate to reach out any time!}