Discussions in Infection Control

An independent site by Lawrence F Muscarella PhD -- a national authority on the causes and prevention of healthcare-associated infections and related errors.

Category: Joint Commission (JCAHO)

Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News Immediate Use Steam Sterilization (IUSS) Instrument Reprocessing Joint Commission (JCAHO) Monitoring Rinse Water Multisociety Guidance Rigid Laryngoscopes Sheaths Spaulding's Device Classification

Dr. Muscarella’s Review of the New Multisociety Guidance for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities

November 11, 2025 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

Due to the risk of bacterial infections (and potential legal exposure), this article's review of the 2025 multisociety guideline therefore recommends caution whenever considering IUSS, particularly for surgical implants --…

Auxiliary Water Channel Best Practices Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Colonoscopes Colonoscopy Disease Transmission Disposable Irrigation Tubing Endoscope Reprocessing Endoscope Sampling Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) Gastrointestinal Endoscopy GI Endoscopes Healthcare Quality, Safety Healthcare-Acquired Infections Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses Infection Prevention Joint Commission (JCAHO) Klebsiella pneumoniae Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase]-producing K. pneumoniae MAJ-855 Water Tube Medical Errors Mycobacterium abscessus Product Labeling Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quality Assurance Risk Management Serratia spp. Superbugs Surveys Tap Water The Reuse of Single-Use Devices

Tap Water Used for Irrigation during GI Endoscopy: A Recommendation and Assessment of the Infection Risk

May 20, 2014 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

Synopsis: This article discusses the potential for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) associated with the use of tap water, compared to sterile water, for irrigation (and/or cleansing the endoscope’s lens) during gastrointestinal…

Adult Intensive Care Units Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Audits Best Practices Bundles Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) catheter-associated urinary tract infections Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections Central-Line Venous Catheters Checklists Disease Transmission Hand Hygiene and Antisepsis Healthcare Policy Healthcare Quality, Safety Healthcare-Acquired Infections Joint Commission (JCAHO) Medical Errors Published Infection Rates Quality Assurance Superbugs Surveys ventilator-associated pneumonia

Study Finds U.S. Hospitals Are not Following Policies Proven to Prevent Life-Threatening Infections – A Call to Action

February 7, 2014 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

A study by the Columbia University School of Nursing found that while most hospitals have evidence-based policies on file for the control and prevention of health care-associated infections (“HAIs”), clinician…

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Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News Immediate Use Steam Sterilization (IUSS) Instrument Reprocessing Joint Commission (JCAHO) Monitoring Rinse Water Multisociety Guidance Rigid Laryngoscopes Sheaths Spaulding's Device Classification

Dr. Muscarella’s Review of the New Multisociety Guidance for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities

November 11, 2025 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Endoscope-Associated Infections Healthcare Quality, Safety Healthcare-Acquired Infections Medicare's HAC Reduction Program

A Proposal to Include ‘Endoscope-Associated Infections’ as a Reportable Medicare Measure to Promote Patient Safety

July 28, 2025 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Adverse Event Reports Food and Drug Administration Food Drug and Cosmetic Act Informed Consent Medical Device Reports (MDRs) Misbranded Devices Patient Notification Warning letters (FDA)

Hundreds of Thousands of Device Reports Were Submitted Late to FDA, a New Study Has Found, Raising Safety Questions

May 13, 2025 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD
Colonoscopy Endoscope Reprocessing Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses HIV Patient Notification Vanderbilt Medical Center

Endoscopy Patients at Vanderbilt Potentially Exposed to HIV and Hepatitis, County Officials Have Confirmed

November 26, 2024 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD