The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) has announced the recipients of the organization’s annual awards. The honor recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to the science of infection prevention and control. Recipients are selected by the APIC Research Committee and will be honored at APIC’s 46th Annual Conference, June 12-14 in Philadelphia, PA.
Mary Lou Manning, PhD, CRNP, CIC, FAPIC, FSHEA, FAAN, professor at the Thomas Jefferson University and former APIC president, will be honored with the prestigious Carol DeMille Achievement Award for her visionary leadership and significant contributions to the field of infection prevention and control (IPC). This is APIC's highest award.
Over the past three decades, Manning has contributed extensively to clinical practice, research, and education in IPC. An active APIC member since 1991, she served as 2015 APIC president and as president of the Delaware Valley and Philadelphia chapters in Pennsylvania. Manning currently is a Professor at the Thomas Jefferson University College of Nursing in Philadelphia. Prior to this role, she held numerous leadership positions at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, launching a number of key initiatives, including the Center for Process Innovation and Center for Quality and Patient Safety.
On the global front, Manning has provided consultation and education in numerous countries including Indonesia, where she was a member of a post-tsunami Indonesia Disaster Recovery Program team in 2007. During the 2014 Ebola crisis, she served as a faculty member of the CDC Safety Training for Healthcare Workers going to West Africa.
In 2018, Manning led the development of a joint APIC position paper on antibiotic stewardship with the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Society of Infectious Disease Pharmacists, and chaired APIC’s Consensus Conference, which culminated in insights that will move the infection preventionist profession forward in meeting the healthcare needs of the 21st century.
Skillfully bridging academia and practice, Manning has effectively introduced the most cutting-edge science into her work at every level, earning dozens of awards and recognitions over the course of her career, including APIC’s 2018 Distinguished Scientist Award. She has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications exploring topics critical to infection prevention, ranging from the role of nursing in antibiotic stewardship to the global implications of emerging infectious diseases. Manning is also a member of the editorial board of the American Journal of Infection Control.
Marc-Oliver Wright, MT(ASCP), MS, CIC, FAPIC, clinical infection control practitioner at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, will be honored with the 2019 President’s Distinguished Service Award.
An active member of APIC since 2001, Wright has served at the local level including as president of the Chicago chapter. A technology expert, he served on APIC’s Surveillance Technology Task Force, APIC’s Research Committee and later served on the APIC Board of Directors as a member and as treasurer. In 2018, Wright was a member of the APIC Consensus Conference Steering Committee, leading a discussion on building the business case for an enhanced IP role.
Wright currently serves as the Section Editor of Surveillance Methods and Technology for APIC’s peer-reviewed journal, the American Journal of Infection Control, and develops, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network, an interactive case study series to help IPs improve HAI surveillance. Wright has also contributed significantly to APIC’s collaboration with key partners, most recently participating with the CDC on the Quick Observation Tools development team to assist healthcare facilities in identifying infection prevention deficiencies and take corrective action in real time.
Sarah Krein, PhD, RN, Research Career Scientist at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, and Professor at the University of Michigan, will be honored with the 2019 Distinguished Scientist Award.
Krein is a Research Career Scientist at the VA Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research, as well as a Research Professor of Internal Medicine, and the Rensis Likert Collegiate Research Professor at the University of Michigan. She also has an adjunct appointment in the School of Nursing at the University of Michigan. In addition, she is the co-director of the VA Ann Arbor Clinical Research Mentorship Program and serves as co-director of a VA Patient Safety Center of Inquiry.
Using her extensive clinical and research background, Krein focuses on organizational behavior and implementation research to enhance patient safety through the prevention of healthcare-associated complications. Over the past 21 years, Krein’s research has focused on team-based science and the implementation of research techniques to improve healthcare safety, quality, and effectiveness. She has published more than 180 papers based on her research.
She has been widely recognized for her work, most recently as a co-recipient of the 2017 Health System Impact Award from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research & Development Service for her effort to improve veterans’ care by reducing the risks of unnecessary and harmful urinary catheters, significantly changing the practice across the VA. Krein has been an active member of APIC since 2005 and a reviewer for the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), APIC’s peer reviewed journal, since 2008.
Brian Harte, MD, MHM, president of Cleveland Clinic Akron General, will be the recipient of the 2019 Healthcare Administrator Award.
Under Harte’s leadership, Cleveland Clinic Akron General has adopted purposeful, targeted infection prevention strategies that have reduced infection rates. In 2018, CLABSI decreased by 32 percent, and hospital-acquired C. diff decreased by 35 percent over the prior year. Harte has also been integral in improving hand hygiene compliance, using his voice as hospital president to increase awareness of its importance.
Harte is active in providing direct feedback to staff, promoting a culture of transparency and communication. His photo is placed on “I’ve got your back” posters located throughout the organization to encourage caregivers to speak up when they see something that might harm patients and to encourage others to appropriately receive such feedback. He also rounds with infection preventionists and attends meetings with environmental services personnel to reinforce the importance of their jobs in patient safety, challenging leaders and staff alike to explore additional ways to improve and continuously provide patient-centered and quality care.
