Richard A Martinello, MD
Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and Pediatrics; Yale Medicine (YM) Chief Medical Officer (CMO)Cards
About
Research
Overview
+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.
Medical Research Interests
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Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Clinical Care
Overview
Richard Martinello, MD, is a Yale Medicine infectious disease expert who is passionate about the prevention of healthcare-associated infections and respiratory viruses, especially influenza. He is also the medical director of the Infection Prevention department at Yale New Haven Health.
“The world of bacteria, virus, and fungi is fascinating,” says Dr. Martinello. “Each microbe is its own character with its own personality and behavior. Improving our understanding of these microbes helps us to better prevent infections and identify and treat infections when they occur.”
This is of particular importance for infections that can be acquired in the hospital and other healthcare settings, he says.
“Our patients come to our offices, labs, and our hospitals for the care they need to improve their health and well-being,” Dr. Martinello says. “Unfortunately, healthcare settings are intrinsically risky for acquiring infections—patients who may be sick come together to receive care and many of the lifesaving aspects of care received, such as surgery and even antibiotics, can place patients at risk for acquiring infections. I truly enjoy partnering with my team and colleagues to work together to create safer ways to care for our patients.”
Dr. Martinello is an associate professor of medicine and pediatrics (infectious disease) at Yale School of Medicine. He researches the prevention of healthcare-associated infections and the epidemiology of respiratory viruses.
Clinical Specialties
Yale Medicine News
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