Technology Application Bolsters Infection Prevention Team

Dr. David Fisk, Cottage Health Infection Control

Cottage Health infection rates are consistently and significantly lower (better) than state and national rate benchmarks at all of our hospitals. To that end, Cottage uses a variety of tactics, from old-fashioned hand washing to germ-zapping robots.

"Preventing infection at Cottage is something that cuts across every employee's day-to-day work within the health system," says Dr. David Fisk, medical director of infection prevention and control.

Directives include using antibiotics when most needed, for example, when a patient is undergoing surgery, but not overusing antibiotics, which can lead to problems such as C. difficile colitis - the No. 1 health care associated infection in the U.S.

"We have a program at Cottage of antibiotic stewardship, which has been successful in reducing the number of antibiotic prescriptions at Cottage and thereby reducing the risk of C. diff in our patients," Dr. Fisk says.
Cottage Health also applies the latest in technology to infection control, such as Xenex robots, which provide an added layer of cleaning protection. "The robots emit extremely intense UV radiation that kills all the germs left behind after a room is cleaned."