Infection Control

Section 245.75  Infection Control a)         Each agency shall develop and implement policies and procedures for investigating, controlling and preventing infections. Placement agencies shall provide to in-home services workers the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publication "Guidelines for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings". b)         Each agency shall adhere, at a minimum and as appropriate, to the guidelines of the CDC, United States Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services, as incorporated in Section 245.25(c). c)         The home health agency shall maintain and document an infection control program to prevent and control infections and communicable diseases. Under that program, the agency shall: 1)         Follow accepted standards of practice, including the use of standard precautions, to prevent the transmission of infections and communicable diseases; 2)         Maintain a coordinated agency-wide program for the surveillance, identification, prevention, control and investigation of infectious and communicable disease that is an integral part of the agency's QAPI program; and 3)         Provide infection control education to staff, patients and caregivers.