Journal List > Korean J Nosocomial Infect Control > v.21(1) > 1098356

Jin-Hong: The Recent Trend and Perspective of Infection Control in the Republic of Korea

Abstract

The recent trends and future of infection control are anticipated to be as follows: Most hospitals will develop a nationwide network and cooperate with governmental and public institutions for infection control. The importance of environmental hygiene will be reappraised. Universal decolonization will be a mainstream intervention for the pre-emptive eradication of various nosocomial pathogens. Molecular technology could become a routine practice in many clinical fields. Advances in information technology (IT) will have a profound impact on infection control. For example, applications of big data and tracking technology using wearable devices are already underway. Infection control in the future will be a coordinated system involving governmental regulation, IT and molecular technology.

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Table 1.
The current and anticipated trends of infection control field
Category Examples of current and anticipated trend
External influences
Target of infection control
Intervention
Molecular typing
Information technology
Coordination with governmental or public facility for dealing with multi-drug resistance.
Strengthening of governmental regulation or legislative activities.
More demand from consumers in various ways.
Increased criticism from mass media.
Lawsuit for the hospital associated infections.
More attention to the environmental hygiene.
Evaluation of enhanced cleaning.
Innovation on textile and apparel.
Assessment and validation of universal decolonization.
Development and routine use of whole genome sequencing.
Big data and trend analysis for prediction of epidemics or emerging infection.
Telemedicine.
Tracking technology using wearable device.
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