TABLE 2.

Examples of High-Priority Topics in Infection Prevention Research Identified by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Research Committee

Topic	Examples of specific areas for investigation
HAI	Evaluate HAI prevention across the spectrum of healthcare especially non-acute care settings; Evaluate approaches for dissemination and implementation of HAI prevention methods; Evaluate role of electronic monitoring tools in managing hand hygiene compliance.
Device-associated infections (CLABSI, CAUTI, VAE)	Examine the epidemiology of DAI in non-ICU settings; Test novel technology and strategies for DAI prevention such as impregnated devices and maintenance bundles; Examine the reliability and validity of surveillance definitions in different patient populations and their impact on outcomes and practices.
SSI	Compare various postoperative wound care strategies for reducing SSIs; Assess the impact of an operating room checklist on SSI rates; Evaluate patient-specific risk factor modification (such as smoking cessation) strategies for reducing SSIs.
MDROs and Clostridium difficile	Assess transmission dynamics and novel interventions to prevent transmission in acute and non-acute care settings; Evaluate the role of the environment and the impact of environmental disinfection on transmission; Examine the role of laboratory technology to identify MDROs and guide infection prevention measures.
Employee health	Identify approaches to improve influenza and other vaccinations in HCP in settings where mandatory vaccination is not feasible; Evaluate practices to prevent needlestick injuries and other bloodborne pathogen exposures in HCP and explore methods for post-exposure prophylaxis for prevention of HIV, HCV, and HBV; Assess the role of HCP in transmitting organisms including MDROs to patients.
Respiratory viruses	Evaluate the effects of barrier precautions on respiratory virus transmission; Assess the acceptability of N-95 masks for prevention of respiratory virus transmission; Evaluate the role of novel diagnostics in preventing nosocomial respiratory viruses and identifying emerging respiratory viruses.
Antimicrobial stewardship	Evaluate the impact of antimicrobial stewardship programs on emergence of resistance, patient outcomes, and cost; Explore the benefits of alternative methods for antimicrobial stewardship such as post-prescription review; Assess the use of performance metrics for antimicrobial stewardship.
Environment	Compare available touchless cleaning technologies for efficacy and acceptability; Assess favored methods for surveillance of environmental cleaning; Assess the role of hospital epidemiologists and infection preventionists in changing policy related to environmental cleaning.

NOTE. CAUTI, catheter-associated urinary tract infection; CLABSI, central line-associated bloodstream infection; DAI, device-associated infection; HAI, healthcare-associated infection; HBV, hepatitis B virus; HCP, healthcare personnel; HCV, hepatitis C virus; ICU, intensive care unit; MDRO, multidrug-resistant organism; SSI, surgical site infection; VAE, ventilator-associated event.