Bridging the gap between science and healthcare design is critical to evidence-based design. Infection prevention and design disciplines provide guidance to minimize the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and transmission of pathogens causing these infections. However, conclusions drawn from ranging quantity and quality of evidence can sometimes lead to discordant recommendations. In this session, an expert in evidence-based design collaborates with a clinical infection-prevention researcher to discuss how available evidence translates into infection-prevention guidelines. They will provide practical examples of how to reconcile these guidelines, including instances of perceived discordance.

• Learn the differences between evidence-based design and evidence-based medicine.
• See the evidence supporting existing guidelines in both the infection prevention and design literature.
• Explore the gaps in the current evidence and illustrate how multidisciplinary collaboration can bridge those gaps.

Appraise evidence-based interventions that decrease the transmission of pathogens causing HAIs.

Panelist:
Megan Denham, MAEd, EDAC, Research Faculty, SimTigrate Design Lab, College of Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology
Jesse Jacob, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Emory University School of Medicine