In December 2018, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) published a new guidance document on Infection Prevention in the Operating Room Anesthesia Work Area (doi.org/10.1017/ice.2018.303). SHEA is a professional society that seeks to improve public health by establishing infection prevention measures and supporting antibiotic stewardship among health care providers. SHEA guidance is frequently incorporated into accrediting standards by The Joint Commission and other accrediting bodies. This publication follows a 2017 ASA-approved, SHEA-conducted survey of 5,000 anesthesiologists assessing current infection prevention practice and methods.
Anesthesiology was well-represented on the SHEA writing panel. David J. Birnbach, M.D., served as the ASA representative. He was joined by Richard C. Prielipp, M.D., representing the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation, and Andrew Bowdle, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Washington in Seattle. After editing and extensive review by an ASA workgroup consisting of Lois Connolly, M.D., FASA, and Elizabeth Rebello, M.D. (ASA Committee on...
