Section 518.1900  Infection Control

a)         The freestanding emergency center shall develop policies and procedures for the prevention and control of infections within the facility, which shall be approved by the owning or controlling hospital.  The person responsible for infection control in the FEC shall be a part of the hospital's Infection Control Committee.

b)         Policies and procedures for the reporting and care of individuals with communicable diseases shall be in accordance with the Control of Communicable Diseases Code.

c)         When patients are diagnosed with or present signs and symptoms of a communicable disease, precautionary measures shall be taken to avoid cross-infection to personnel, other patients or the public, in accordance with the Control of Communicable Diseases Code.

d)         Policies and procedures for the care of persons diagnosed with an infectious disease shall include orders to the medical, nursing and non-professional staffs providing for isolation technique in accordance with the Control of Communicable Diseases Code.

e)         All persons who care for patients with or suspected of having a communicable disease or whose work brings them in contact with materials that are potential conveyors of communicable disease shall take appropriate safeguards to avoid transmission of the disease agent pursuant to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings and Guidelines for Infection Control in Health Care Personnel.

f)         Thorough hand scrubbing shall be required after touching any contaminated or infected material.

g)         Policies and procedures shall be established related to subsections (a) through (f) and including, but not limited to, the following items:

1)         The admission and isolation of patients with specific and/or suspected infectious diseases, and protective isolation of appropriate patients.

2)         In-service education programs on the control of infectious diseases.

3)         Policies and procedures for isolation techniques appropriate to the working diagnosis of the patient, and protective routines for personnel and visitors.

(Source:  Amended at 33 Ill. Reg. 8317, effective June 4, 2009)