Imperial Hospital has a comprehensive Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) program. IPC covers policies on hand hygiene, isolation, occupational health, notification on infectious diseases, clinical sample collection, infection prevention, antibiotic stewardship and environmental hygiene in visitor areas and practice settings. Our Infection Control program also focuses on prevention of hospital acquired infections, particularly surgical wound infections, ventilator-associated infections, UTI and intravascular device related infections including control of communicable diseases. The policies and guidelines set down are evidence-based and reflect present scientific knowledge and recommendations from National and International organizations and societies. The overall aim of the program is to guide doctors and health care workers on minimizing patient’s infection risk and ensuring safety.
The salient features of the program are:
- Infection Prevention and Control Committee: Imperial Hospital has a high powered infection prevention and control committee with Chairman of the hospital as adviser and Microbiologist as consultant with representatives from all clinical as well as administrative and engineering departments. This committee is responsible for policy making and it have regular monthly meeting.
- Infection Prevention and Control Team: This team consists of Consultant Microbiology, Infection Control Nurse and Head of Central Sterilization Supply Department (CSSD). This team is assigned with implementation of the policies and recommendations. The Infection Control Nurse is assigned with day to day activities. To assist Infection Control Nurse, there are infection control in-charge in important locations such as ICU, OT, ER, In-patient Department and Out-patient Department.
- CSSD & Laundry: Imperial Hospital has a state-of-art Central Sterilization Supply Department (CSSD) and laundry equipped with modern equipment where infection control systems are strictly followed.
- Operation Theaters (OT): Operation Theaters are specially designed with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter and positive pressure laminar air flow to prevent infection.
- Laboratories: They are equipped with bio safety cabinets.
Infection Prevention and Control related activities:
- Basic Orientation Training: We conduct this training for all health care worker including supportive staff before starting their job at IHL.
- Regular Training: We have a yearly calendar for regular training of Doctors, Nurses and other healthcare workers.
- On Spot Training: Infection Control Nurse provides on sport training as required during daily round.
- Biomedical Waste Management: Imperial Hospital Limited strictly follows Biomedical Waste Management policy of the Government of Bangladesh. There are separate color-coded waste bins at all locations of the hospital.
- Bundle Care Approach: For prevention of infection, we follow many bundle care approaches such as:
- Catheter Related Blood Stream Infection (CR-BSI)
- Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)
- Catheter Related Urinary Tract Infection (CR-UTI)
- Surgical Site Infection (SSI)
- Regular Surveillance is done by following Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI) like CR-BSI, CAUTI, VAE, CLABSI and SSI.
- Antimicrobial Stewardship: Recognizing, curtailing and managing antibiotic resistance is an important aspect of the Infection control program at Imperial Hospital. We have been following an Antibiotic Stewardship program wherein antibiotic prescription, dosage and appropriateness are strictly monitored, rationalized and resistant organisms identified, tracked and followed up meticulously. Imperial Hospital also follows stringent guidelines on use of antibiotics and also procedures on monitoring use of antibiotics including protocols for isolation of those affected with such organisms.
- Visitor Control: Imperial Hospital has a visitor control protocol. All visitors are alerted on infection control practices through guidelines mentioned on the visitor passes.
- Other Activities: Imperial Hospital Infection Prevention and Control team regularly monitors environmental air, reverse osmosis (RO) water, dialysis fluid and drinking water.