Michael Edmond is an infectious disease physician who blogs at Controversies in Hospital Infection Prevention.

Infection preventionists are true heroes, and other things we’ve learned so far

Conditions and Diseases
March 22, 2020

We are in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s already very clear that the infection prevention community in the U.S. has never faced such an enormous challenge. Reflecting back on the past two weeks, we have learned many things that will make us better prepared for the long term. My goal is to keep track of these in this blog. So here we go:

We are far too …

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Infection preventionists are true heroes, and other things we’ve learned so far

How to avoid COVID-19 infection at work: tips from an infectious disease physician

Conditions and Diseases
March 19, 2020

The physician workforce is one of the most valuable resources of any hospital, and in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, we need to do everything possible to ensure that physicians stay healthy. Like other hospital epidemiologists, I spend a lot of time thinking about practical ways to reduce the risk of infection. So to that end, I want to offer some suggestions for reducing your risk of acquiring COVID-19 …

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How to avoid COVID-19 infection at work: tips from an infectious disease physician

The pathologic manifestations of professionalism

Physician
July 25, 2018

Four years ago after moving back to Iowa City, I needed to find a new primary care doctor. I went to the University’s website and scanned the list of general internists. There I noted a physician that I had known when she was a medical student during my prior stint at the University of Iowa 20 years prior. She had been an amazing medical student, very bright, hardworking, conscientious, and …

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The pathologic manifestations of professionalism

What is proper work attire in medicine?

Physician
July 22, 2018

I’m a creature of habit. My first activity every day is to read the New York Times. Depending on my schedule, some days I read more articles than others. This week I was away at a conference and found myself with some early morning extra time before the first meeting session, so I delved into the Arts section. I began to read the first article: “Women …

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What is proper work attire in medicine?

Doctors didn’t sign up to fill out forms

Physician
April 11, 2014

There are reports from across the country regarding severe influenza in young people. In addition to mechanical ventilation, many are requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Given the severity of illness and the presence of multiple organ dysfunction, relying on an oral antiviral for influenza therapy seems unwise. However, at this point, the only option for intravenous therapy is IV zanamivir, which is not approved by the FDA, but available on …

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Doctors didn’t sign up to fill out forms

Infection control versus psychology: To white coat or not

Physician
February 10, 2014

There’s a piece in the Atlantic entitled “The Psychology of Lululemon.” I probably would not have read that article but for the fact that I was in Lululemon recently buying my wife some yoga clothes. This turned out to be an interesting read. The premise of the piece is that athletic clothing makes people want to work out — that in some way, clothes have power over the wearer.

Of course, I …

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Infection control versus psychology: To white coat or not

The bar for becoming a stool donor just got higher

Conditions and Diseases
July 29, 2013

Recently, I have spent a lot of time talking to patients, trying to explain why I’ve had to cancel their upcoming fecal transplant. The FDA has ruled that stool is an investigational new drug (IND), which now imposes a huge bureaucratic hurdle to getting a much needed therapy for patients with recurrent or intractable C. difficile infection.

Even before the FDA did this, there were already hurdles for patients who are really suffering …

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The bar for becoming a stool donor just got higher

Ensure health care workers have sick leave to reduce presenteeism

Physician
June 19, 2013

Like hand hygiene, getting workers to stay home when sick is an example of a horizontal infection prevention strategy. Horizontal strategies are multipotent (not aimed at a single pathogen), generally simple methods. While most humans inherently know that it’s not a good idea to come to work with fever or diarrhea, many either can’t or won’t stay home and risk infecting co-workers, customers, or patients.

One major reason for …

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Ensure health care workers have sick leave to reduce presenteeism

Doctors: It’s ok to shed the white coat and tie

Physician
March 30, 2013

Those of you who have followed our blog for the past few years probably know that one of my favorite topics in infection prevention is the role of clothing in transmission of pathogens. But I’m also fascinated by the sociologic aspects of clothing in medicine, which is usually framed around questions of professionalism (for example, is a doctor in a white coat more “professional” than a doctor …

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Doctors: It’s ok to shed the white coat and tie