HAI Program Manager FY15 and FY16

The purpose of Kentucky's healthcare associated infection (HAI) prevention program and foodborne outbreak program is to establish an infrastructure within the Department for Public Health (DPH) to develop and assist with state-wide activities focused on the prevention of HAis and foodborne/gastrointestinal (GJ) illnesses within the community and healthcare facilities. This will be accomplished through the following activities: build and improve the DPH workforce for foodborne illness outbreaks and HAI prevention, increase voluntary reporting and HAI surveillance activities using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) database (KY is one of 13 states with no reporting laws), and entering data in to the CDC's National Electronic Data Surveillance System (NEDSS); develop evidence-based prevention collaboratives, and to assist and provide training and other tools needed to support HAI and foodborne outbreak prevention activities in Kentucky acute care hospitals, long term care (LTC) facilities, and in other community and healthcare settings. The University of Kentucky College of Public Health (UKCPH) shall provide personnel to perform the functions of a Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) Prevention Program and Reportable Diseases Section for the Kentucky Department for Public Health and to coordinate the State and Regional Infection Prevention and Epidemiology (KSTRIPE) plan and support the Foodborne/GI Illness outbreak programs.