Online masterclass: Planning for winter influenza - assessing the potential impact on HCAIs

This winter will be particularly challenging due to the second wave of swine flu, which is likely to occur during the regular influenza season. Pressure for hospital beds is inevitable during a pandemic, which may lead to overcrowding. There is evidence that episodes of significant hospital overcrowding can trigger increases in the incidence of healthcare associated infections such as MRSA. Don’t be caught out this winter. Members of the MRSA Working Group, a multidisciplinary group of infectious disease experts, will provide advice and a workable solution for managing early discharge of MRSA patients during the busy winter influenza period.

When: LIVE on Wednesday 4 November 2009 at 9.00am

Duration: 30 minutes

Cost: FREE

Where: Your PC

This online seminar will cover the following:

• The challenge faced by hospitals this winter in managing the second wave of swine flu, the regular influenza season and the problems of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) such as MRSA
• Managing bed capacity: the pressure for hospital beds during the winter influenza season and how this can be managed
• Early discharge: a workable solution that would reduce the pressure on hospital resources and beds and limit the spread of HCAIs, like MRSA

Expert panel

Dr Matthew Dryden, consultant microbiologist at Royal Hampshire County Hospital and general secretary of the British Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Who should watch?

• Chief executives of acute trusts
• Chief operating officers
• Medical and surgical directors
• Hospital and business managers
• Directors of operational services
• Infection control specialists
• Microbiologists
• Bed managers
• Chief pharmacists and antimicrobial pharmacists
• Nursing and patient safety/services directors

Pfizer Limited initiated and funded this webcast, which has been developed in collaboration with the MRSA Working Group.   

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