2004 is shaping up to be a year of increasing standards in infection control. New outbreaks in SARS and other emerging contagions worldwide are a deadly reminder of the severity of infection control issues. As basic as a reemphasis on hand washing to complex epidemiology issues, infection control is expanding its presence throughout every area of the hospital. Not only are healthcare workers from every spectrum forced to play new roles in infection control; the responsibilities are spreading to patients, the government, healthcare products developers, information technology providers…people everywhere must play a part.

With its updated 2005 "Surveillance, Prevention and Control of Infection" standards, JCAHO is "sharpening and raising expectations" of infection control in order to prevent healthcare associated infections. When combined with strict adherence to standards such as these and continued training; the vast number of infection control products on the market are a HCW’s line of defense against adverse outcomes.