[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 3 (Tuesday, January 6, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 447]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-31195]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Announcement of the Release of the U.S. Department of Health and 
Human Services' Action Plan To Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the 
Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Authority: 42 U.S.C 200u.
SUMMARY: The Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS), U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces the release of 
the HHS Action Plan To Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections (HHS 
Action Plan). The effort represents a culmination of several months of 
deliberation by subject matter experts across HHS to identify key 
actions in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). 
The document establishes national goals for enhancing and coordinating 
HHS-supported efforts, including the development of (1) National 
benchmarks; (2) prioritized recommended clinical practices to 
facilitate implementation of and adherence to existing recommended 
practices in hospitals; (3) a coordinated research agenda to strengthen 
the science for infection control prevention in hospitals; (4) a plan 
to progress towards the standardized measures and data definitional 
alignment needed to more accurately measure HAIs and make the varied 
HHS data systems interoperable; (5) opportunities for evaluating 
compliance with infection control practices in hospitals through 
certification processes and potential options for the use of payment 
policies and financial incentives to motivate organizations to provide 
better, more efficient care; and (6) a national messaging plan to build 
partnerships with various stakeholder groups across the country.
    Background: Healthcare-associated infections exact a significant 
toll on human life. They are among the top ten leading causes of death 
in the United States, accounting for an estimated 1.7 million 
infections and 99,000 associated deaths. In hospitals, they are a 
significant cause of morbidity and mortality. In addition to the 
substantial human suffering exacted by HAIs, the financial burden 
attributable to these infections is staggering. It is estimated that 
HAIs incur nearly $20 billion in excess healthcare costs each year. For 
these reasons, the reduction of HAIs is a top priority for HHS.
    The HHS Steering Committee to Prevent Healthcare-Associated 
Infections (Committee) was established in July 2008. The Committee was 
charged with developing a strategy to reduce HAIs and issuing a plan 
which establishes national goals for HAI prevention and outlines key 
actions for achieving identified short- and long-term objectives. The 
plan is also intended to enhance collaboration with external 
stakeholders to maximize coordination and impact of national efforts. 
Thus, the development process of the HHS Action Plan is inclusive. The 
goal is to effectively collaborate with multiple stakeholders to 
maximize reach and impact in order to effectively prevent HAIs. The 
process strives to maximize transparency, public input, and stakeholder 
dialogue to ensure that the HHS Action Plan is relevant to multiple 
audiences and diverse public health needs and seizes opportunities to 
achieve its goals. Drawing on the expertise of the HHS Steering 
Committee To Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections, other experts 
across the Federal Government, various stakeholders, and the public, 
the HHS Action Plan will establish a national strategy for the 
reduction and prevention of HAIs. The public is invited to comment 
through the Web site on the content of the document. The plan is 
intended to be updated periodically in response to public input and new 
recommendations for infection prevention.

ADDRESSES: The Action Plan To Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections 
and instructions for submitting comments can be viewed at http://www.hhs.gov/ophs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Send questions to the Office of Public 
Health and Science, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Ms. 
Julie Moreno at [email protected] (e-mail), (202) 401-9581 (phone), 
or (202) 690-6960 (fax) or Ms. Rani Jeeva at [email protected] (e-
mail), (240) 276-9824 (phone), or (240) 276-9860 (fax).

    Dated: December 22, 2008.
Donald Wright,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health.
[FR Doc. E8-31195 Filed 1-5-09; 10:58 am]
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