In partnership with local health jurisdictions, we provide free/non-regulatory Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) consultations to long term care, dental, dialysis, and other health care settings.
Our experienced and Certified in Infection Control (CIC) Infection Preventionists (IP) work closely with the facility and customizes the consultation to assess infection prevention strengths, opportunities on a variety of infection prevention and control topics and any areas of concern the facility has identified.
Each interaction is focused on education and offers the most up-to-date infection prevention resources and support. Depending on the setting, some consultations can be completed either onsite or virtually as a televisit.
Topics
About our program | Infection Control and Response (ICAR) | Skills Demonstrations | Guest Education | Coaching and Peer Support | Program Metrics and Reports | Frequently Asked Questions |
Helpful links
- NHSN Data and Reporting
- COVID-19 Infection Prevention in Health Care Settings
- Targeted Multidrug-resistant Organism (MDRO) Response Toolkit
About our program
At the heart of our infection prevention and control efforts lies a dedicated team of 10 Infection Preventionists, two Coordinators, and two Data Analysts. These highly trained professionals, include nurses and epidemiologists with diverse specialties, bring expertise spanning long-term care, acute care hospitals, oncology, dental, critical access hospitals and ambulatory care.
Focused on keeping healthcare settings abreast of the latest infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, our Infection Preventionists underwent rigorous training and earned their Certification in Infection Control (CIC). This certification entails continued education and recertification every five years. Their unwavering commitment ensures that healthcare facilities in Washington state receive the highest standard of IPC guidance and support.
Infection Control and Response (ICAR)
Welcome to our Infection Control and Response (ICAR) program, a cornerstone of our commitment to prioritizing infection prevention and control support across diverse healthcare settings. Our team of devoted Infection Preventionists conducts free, non regulatory and comprehensive assessments tailored to the unique needs of your facility. Whether through onsite or virtual consultations, each ICAR session is meticulously designed to elevate infection prevention practices.
Types of ICARs
Our team offers a variety of infection prevention support for healthcare professionals across several setting types.
At this time we offer ICARs for the following facilities
- Long term care
- Dental
- Outpatient clinics
- Oncology
- Dialysis
- Hospitals
- And more
Dental ICAR Video
- Preparing for Your ICAR
- Post Assessment Information
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Your IP will write up and send you a concise, post-ICAR report with resources for you to refer back to after the ICAR consultation. To view a sampling of the great resources provided during ICAR assessments and in the reports, check out our all-in-one Infection Prevention Resources (PDF).
- Connect with our team
Skills Demonstrations
We do more than just ICARs! Invite one of our Infection Preventionists to come to your facility to do skills demonstrations with auditing tips. Explore our skills demonstrations topics to enhance your infection prevention practices.
Guest Education
Empower your facility with guest education resources. Benefit from free education about skills with a Washington State DOH infection preventionist. Does your facilities to do lunch and learns? We can provide IP and you provide the topic you would like our IP to cover! Some possible topics to consider:
Topics for Guest Education with our Team
- Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette
- Special Populations, Emerging Pathogens, Health Equity
- Sterilization & Disinfection of Patient-Care Items & Devices
- Sharps Safety & Safe Injection Practices
- Dental Unit Water Quality
- Program Evaluation
Coaching and Peer Support
Are you new to Infection Prevention and Control? Did you have a recent outbreak and could use some extra support? Access our coaching and peer support to strengthen your infection prevention efforts. Receive guidance on ICARs, skills, training and development of policies and procedures, and stay updated on the latest information about MDROs and special pathogen readiness. We would love to connect regularly with you one-on-one. Please email our team to set up your first coaching session at HAI-FieldTeam@doh.wa.gov.
We also provide networking and microlearning venues that can support your efforts.
Networking Opportunities
- IPChat – Skilled Nursing Infection Prevention Forum with micro-learnings
- IP Connect
Metrics and Reports
The Infection Prevention Program (IPP) is tasked with providing infection prevention resources, education, and support to healthcare facilities and local health jurisdictions. Primarily working with long term care facilities, our IPs also work with other healthcare settings such as hospitals, behavioral health, and outpatient clinics as well. Our analytics team publishes both quarterly metrics and annual reports on our Infection Prevention and Control efforts in Washington State.
ICAR Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- How can I schedule an ICAR?
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Schedule your ICAR by clicking here: Schedule an ICAR Assessment
- How much does an ICAR cost?
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ICARs are free and non-regulatory.
- Is an ICAR required?
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ICARs are not required in Washington State but are an excellent opportunity to review and improve your infection prevention policies and protocols.
- How long does an ICAR take?
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ICARs take approximately 2 hours or less, depending on the size of the facility.
- What are the benefits of having an ICAR?
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There are many benefits for doing an ICAR. You will receive customized resources and education on your IPC policies and protocols that need improvement. The IP that you will work with is assigned to your county and will be available for your future IPC questions. We are dedicated to giving you consistent and up to date information when you need it.
- What type of facility is appropriate for an ICAR?
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We work with all types of health care facilities. Our IPs have a wide range of experience in acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals, skilled nursing, dental, dialysis and ambulatory care facilities. We work as a team to assure that we can accommodate all facility types.
- What will I receive for completing an ICAR?
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You will receive a certificate of participation and a window cling that you can display. You will also receive a concise report with resources after the visit.
- I manage more than one facility, can both facilities be seen for an ICAR?
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Yes, we will work with you on how best to schedule the visits.
- Who will be visiting my facility?
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Our IP will be the primary consultant on the visit. We invite your local health jurisdiction to join the visit if they are able. On occasion an IP trainee might attend to gain experience.
- I have more questions; how do I contact you?
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Email HAI-FieldTeam@doh.wa.gov or phone 206-418-5500
Contact Us
Email HAI-FieldTeam@doh.wa.gov or call 206-418-5500.