The ASHE Podcast

In this episode of The ASHE Podcast, we explore how innovative approaches in infection prevention are reshaping healthcare practices. Guests Graham Snyder, Elise Martin, and Ashley Ayers join the discussion to discuss their study titled "Impact of Discontinuation of Contact Precautions on Surveillance- and Whole Genome Sequencing-Defined Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Healthcare-Associated Infections" and what it means for the future of infection control.

The conversation explores the evolving role of contact precautions (CP) in managing MRSA transmission. The discontinuation of CP has sparked debates in infection prevention, with this study providing a fresh perspective through whole genome sequencing (WGS). Unlike traditional surveillance methods, WGS offers deeper insights into MRSA transmission dynamics, unveiling patterns that can redefine how we approach infection control in acute care settings.

The study's findings revealed a surprising drop in MRSA healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) post-discontinuation of CP, raising questions about how to balance infection prevention with resource management and patient safety. By reducing reliance on CP, hospitals may gain advantages such as cost savings and fewer adverse effects for patients, without compromising care quality.

Finally, the episode delves into challenges faced during the study and the need for further research to refine infection prevention strategies. Future efforts could focus on tailoring CP to specific risks and developing more precise methods for tracking and preventing MRSA transmission.

Be sure to read the full article available at Cambridge.org/ASHE. And for the official SHEA recommendations for MRSA treatment and prevention visit: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/infection-control-and-hospital-epidemiology/article/sheaidsaapic-practice-recommendation-strategies-to-prevent-methicillinresistant-staphylococcus-aureus-transmission-and-infection-in-acutecare-hospitals-2022-update/5DB835D2E13F7E813A8A2FD7CB8386BD

In this episode of The ASHE Podcast, Dr. Gonzalo Bearman and Dr. Priya Nori interview Dr. Joseph Ladines-Lim, who discusses his recent study on antibiotic prescribing trends in US emergency departments (EDs) from 2016 to 202, revealing important insights into the appropriateness of antibiotic use in emergency care. Key discussion topics covered include: a summary of antibiotic prescribing trends identified in the study and a more in-depth discussion of the study design, including an overview of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the study's primary data source. Dr. Ladines-Lim also discusses the strengths and limitations of using this survey for research, demographic variations in prescribing, the role of clinical guidelines, and a discussion of broader AMR implications and future areas of research.

In this episode of The ASHE Podcast, we dive into the significant advancements in clinical microbiology over the past decade as discussed in the paper "A Decade of Clinical Microbiology: Top 10 Advances in 10 Years: What Every Infection Preventionist and Antimicrobial Steward Should Know." Our expert panel, featuring Tulip A. Jhaveri, Zoe Freeman Weiss, Marisa L. Winkler, and Nicole D. Pecora, explores the categorization of tests within the typical clinician’s workflow, the evolution and impact of molecular diagnostics, and the future of home-based diagnostic testing. They also discuss the ongoing role of culture in microbiologic diagnosis, advancements in rapid susceptibility testing, and the challenges faced by clinical microbiology labs, including staffing shortages and FDA regulations. Tune in to understand how these advancements shape patient care and the future of clinical microbiology.

In today’s episode of The ASHE Podcast ASHE Editors Brad Langford and Alex Marra interview Lemuel Benedict Non to discuss his article, “All aboard the ChatGPT steamroller: Top 10 ways to make artificial intelligence work for healthcare professionals.” They discuss potential integration of AI tools like ChatGPT in healthcare settings, focusing on their role in enhancing patient care and antimicrobial stewardship practices. Ethical dilemmas surrounding AI in healthcare are examined, with discussions on ensuring safe and ethical usage in clinical decision-making, alongside considerations for patient data privacy and algorithm biases. Additionally, they explore how ChatGPT could revolutionize patient communication, its impact on medical education, its role in research and data analysis, and strategies to prepare the healthcare workforce for AI integration.

Today on the ASHE Podcast we recognize National Donor Day! Hosts Gonzalo Bearman and Priya Nori are joined by guests Rachel Bartash, Miranda So, Helen Tsai and Neeraja Swaminathan to talk about their two ASHE articles on antimicrobial stewardship challenges in transplant infectious diseases and practical strategies to address them. Listen as our guests discuss unique considerations for stewardship in this population, strategies for teaching transplant services to be good stewards, gaps and challenges in transplant ID, and more. After listening, be sure to go to Cambridge.org/ashe to read their full manuscript and learn more.

On today’s episode of The ASHE Podcast Gonzalo Bearman and Priya Nori are joined by guests Arjun Srinivasan, Nathan Shively, and Yi Guo to talk about their articles that present the pro, con, and path forward for the CDC NHSN antibiotic use and resistance module. Today’s episode is especially timely as we start the new year, which marks the start of mandatory reporting of antibiotic use and resistance data into NHSN. Listen as Drs. Shively, Guo, and Srinivasan discuss their articles as well as what kind of data the NHSN AUR module unlocks for hospitals, stewardship programs, and the healthcare consumer. Our panelists share their experience with hospital readiness to meet the reporting deadline and their perspectives on next frontier of antibiotic use and resistance data reporting. After listening, be sure to go to Cambridge.org/ashe to read their full manuscript and learn more.

On today’s episode of The ASHE Podcast Gonzalo Bearman and Priya Nori are joined by guests Alison G. Freifeld and Ali S. Khan to talk about their article, "The climate crisis and healthcare: What do infection prevention and stewardship professionals need to know?"

Our guests discuss what the infectious diseases workforce should know about how the climate crisis might impact their everyday work. They discuss healthcare’s big carbon footprint and what can be done about it and also discuss how the One Health approach can be applied to addressing the climate crisis. After listening, be sure to go to Cambridge.org/ashe to read their full manuscript and learn more.

On today’s episode of The ASHE Podcast Gonzalo Bearman and Priya Nori are joined by guest host Elizabeth Monsees. Elizabeth, Priya, and Gonzalo interview Meagan Zolla, Carol Schramm, Eileen Carter, and David Banach about their highly downloaded ASHE article, “Perceived usefulness of a mnemonic to improve nurses’ evaluation of reported penicillin allergies.” Our guests share more about their mnemonic, STORY, and its perceived usefulness to improve penicillin allergy evaluation. Listen and learn more about the background for this study, the unique role of nurse colleagues in penicillin allergy evaluation, suggestions for implementation, and more. After listening, be sure to go to Cambridge.org/ashe to read their full manuscript and learn more.

Join hosts Gonzalo Bearman and Priya Nori as the interview today's esteemed guest, Lilian Abbo. They will be discussing Dr. Abbo's recent Careers article in ASHE. Listen to learn more about Dr. Abbo's professional path and the personal drivers of her success as well as the mentorship relationships throughout her career. After listening, be sure to go to Cambridge.org/ashe to read their full manuscripts and learn more.

In this episode of The ASHE Podcast, Dr. Gonzalo Bearman and Dr. Priya Nori are joined by guests, Erica Shenoy and Westyn Branch-Elliman to discuss their bundle of ASHE articles on automated surveillance and infection prevention. Gonzalo, Priya, Erica, and Westyn recap the main takeaways of their articles including barriers to automated systems and on the future of automated infection detection, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and other innovations. After listening, be sure to go to Cambridge.org/ashe to read the full manuscript and learn more.