Preventing healthcare-associated infections: beyond best practice

Abstract

The goal of this review is to evaluate best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and to identify opportunities beyond best practice. Achieving an infection-free hospital stay for patients will require integration of infection prevention into routine bedside clinical care. The objectives are (1) to summarize the best practices for prevention of HAI; (2) to discuss the limitations of known best practices; and (3) to discuss potential approaches beyond best practice to prevent HAI. Rationale for comprehensive horizontal approaches with active caregiver participation is discussed.