Richard A Martinello, MD

+Needleless connectors (NC) are used for nearly all hospitalized medical/surgical patients. Proper aseptic use of NC is critical to prevent healthcare associated bloodstream infections however our previous work has shown great variation in use of these connectors and frequent failure to use them in alignment with institutional policies and manufacturer recommendations. Past work has estimated that 50% of central line associated blood stream infections are related to inappropriate use of NC. Our work seeks to better understand the scope of variation seen in the use of NC, the common causes for this variation, and to quantify the microbiological outcomes related to specific aspects of variation compared against proper use.

+Microbial contamination of the hospital environment is known to play a significant role in patients' risk for the development of a healthcare associated infection. Far-ultraviolet (UV) light is known to have germicidal properties and there is interest in implementing far-UV in specific areas to decrease the risk for the transmission of microbes from contaminated surfaces and air. We are performing a placebo controlled study of the microbiological impact of far-UV light treatment in a simulated healthcare environment where healthcare staff are trained in a variety of procedures.

+Vaccines are one of the most impactful public health interventions but there are significant barriers limiting their optimal use. We are performing a performance improvement study to assess these barriers and implement interventions to improve the use of vaccines.