The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) issued a press release today warning of outbreaks of both hepatitis B and C in outpatient facilities across the country. Not surprisingly, the outbreaks are a direct result of unsafe injection practices. The release, quoting Kathy Warye, CEO of APIC, emphasizes the need increased safety measures but also cites APIC's work with HONOReform, a coalition created to work towards an end to unsafe needle use in outpatient facilities. Evelyn McNight founded HONOReform when she was infected with hepatitis C after receiving chemotherapy with reused syringes at a Freemont, Neb., ambulatory care clinic.

A full article will be in the January issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The article cites 33 outbreaks of hepatitis B or C in the outpatient facilities over the past 10 years that were caused by unsafe injection practices.

Warye is quoted as saying: "With an increasing amount of care being delivered in outpatient settings, more patients will be put at risk unless clinicians are adequately educated and consistently adhere to infection prevention measures. Clinics should also be concerned about new and more virulent pathogens, such as MRSA, which can be transmitted in outpatient settings and take a hard look at how they are addressing infection prevention overall.”
 
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I think it's a given now that a universal fear has taken over our country, or...as Tom Mallon,  CEO of Regent Surgical Health, so eloquently puts it a "mental malaise."  The question lingers, how long are we going to pay for our sins?  Will it be a year? two? Or a year of recession for each year of self-indulgence?  GMA cited an incredibly optimistic June 2009 or early 2010.  Everyone wants a finite date, a specific timeline.  If we can just hang on until “XYZ” date, then things will get better and we can see light at the end of the tunnel.

I was listening to a news segment the other day with a roundtable of small business owners in the Northeast.  Their businesses varied dramatically but they were pretty much universal in their angst and downright anger at the current environment, and specifically “where's MY bailout?” As they circled around and gave their feedback on their specific experiences, one man was not “doom and gloom” but simply inspiring.  He commented that these are interesting challenges we are facing.  He looked at the current state of affairs as an opportunity, which business owners as a community need to dig down deep and become problem solvers.  He said we'll rediscover our creativity.  I loved that.  I loved to hear the hope and the optimism in his voice.  It reminded me that when we're stripped down of all of the distractions of excess, we can rediscover what really distinguishes the American spirit — creativity. 
 
So when the news tickers seems overwhelming and our heads dive into the "mental malaise," maybe that's the time to try to be inspired and find the creative spirit that will see us all out of this trying time.