New infection prevention advisory group announced

Editor's Note

A new collaborative initiative called the Healthcare Infection Prevention Advisory Group (HIPAG) has been created by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). It will address infection prevention priorities of national importance, according to a December 3 news release.

HIPAG will target important issues that were addressed through the now eliminated CDC Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, per the news release, including coordinated, multidisciplinary alignment on infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship issues.

The HIPAG initiative is intended to offer timely, evidence-informed advisory expertise that supports the needs of participating organizations and the broader healthcare community. It will include invited representative experts across medical societies, healthcare organizations, public health, and patient advocacy groups, according to the president of SHEA quoted in the news release.

HIPAG’s structure and membership will be finalized in the coming weeks, along with a coordinated communication and engagement plan. Organizations interested in participating in or contributing to expert representatives were encouraged to contact APIC or SHEA for more information.