title: Using expert process to combat Clostridium difficile infections.
abstract: In 2008, Clostridium difficile rates were increasing in Ontario, Canada, and in response, hospitals were mandated by the Ontario Ministry of Health to publicly report their C difficile infection (CDI) rates. In order to assist hospitals which had ongoing CDI outbreaks, a process of an external infection control resource team (ICRT) was introduced. This article describes the function and process of the ICRT, managed by Public Health Ontario, and reviews the lessons learned over the first 5 years of operation. These lessons may assist other hospitals in managing their own infection prevention and control outbreak.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address: isabelle.guerreiro@oahpp.ca.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Guerreiro
authors.affiliation: Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Achonu
authors.affiliation: Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Volkening
authors.affiliation: Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: MacFarlane
authors.affiliation: Sinai Health System, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McCreight
authors.affiliation: Conestoga College, Kitchener, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.affiliation: Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.affiliation: Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa & The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garber
mesh_terms: D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: CDI; Clostridium difficile infections; ICRT; infection control resource team