Infection Control

(718) 963-7226

Patient Population Served

Wyckoff Heights Medical Center provides comprehensive primary and secondary level inpatient medical, surgical, obstetrical/gynecological and pediatric care services to the community including emergency medicine with separate dedicated pediatric emergency services and tertiary healthcare services including renal dialysis, oncology services and Level III neonatal intensive care. On-site ambulatory care services and community clinics provide a full range of out-patient services to adults and children.

The Infection Control Department’s responsibilities include the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections in all inpatient and outpatient medical center areas. The Infection Control Department, in collaboration with the Infection Control Committee, strives to provide a clean environment safe from infection, to assure organizational-wide involvement and commitment to the prevention and control of infections, and to the effective evaluation of the infection control program, with attention to the potential need for redesign.

Methods Used to Assess and Meet Patients' Care Needs/The Appropriateness, Clinical Necessity & Timeliness

Infection Control Department surveillance activities focus on:

detecting infection prevention and control trends, problem areas, and solutions to problems

identifying and prioritizing infection risks for patients, staff, students and visitors to be able to establish strategies to minimize these risks, and measurable objectives and methods to evaluate strategies employed

Important local, regional and nationally/internationally identified infection prevention and control issues are identified and considered for incorporation into the infection control plan
Infection prevention and control education program includes, for example, consultation with individual health care workers about a particular patient’s infection control or isolation problems, in-service education for a hospital department on new procedures, the regularly scheduled new employee orientation and the annual required update for all health care workers on Infection Control. All clinical areas have access to the Infection Prevention and Control Manual and Exposure Control Plan posted on the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center Infonet. Standards of care are accessible and immediately available to all personnel via this manual which is revised and updated periodically.

Availability of Necessary Staff

The Department of Infection Control operates Monday through Friday from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. When the office is closed, the Control Practitioners can be reached at any time by long-range beeper.

Recognized Standards of Practice

Infection Control procedures are determined by regulations from the New York State Department of Health and board of Regents, The New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Joint Commission, guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, OSHA, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center’s statement of mission and corporate values and this Department’s mission statement.

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