GORD Academy has conducted a GSAS Sponsored Seminar titled: “Effective Management of Healthcare Acquired Infections” on 14 June 2014 at Al-Gassar Resort, as it has been attended by healthcare professionals responsible for administration, quality improvement, infection control and facility management.

The seminar looked at the areas of future research and investigation in order to facilitate the reduction of healthcare acquired infections in hospitals in Qatar. There are both soft and hard aspects of facilities management that can have an impact on the overall wellbeing of the patients. The softer aspects deal with the coordination with healthcare professionals and creating a strategic framework for cooperation. It also deals with the overall knowledge management within the hospital and a seamless flow of information between the facility managers and healthcare professionals. The harder aspects deal with the actual undertaking of the tasks and processes such as cleaning, maintenance, repair, energy management, and HVAC system management.

Attendees gain deep knowledge with a new perspective on the role that the facility management play in the healthcare acquired infections. Participants have also:

•    Explored the gaps in relationships between facilities managers and the healthcare professionals in Qatar healthcare sector.
•    Looked at the current green building guidelines and practices, and their relationship with operational realities of a hospital.
•    Identified areas of research that need to be undertaken to bridge this

Topics discussed during the Seminar have also included:

•    GSAS in Healthcare
•    Strategy to minimize healthcare acquired infection by Prof. Mohammed Arif 
•    Learning lessons from improvement of management of Healthcare acquired infection by Prof Charles Egbu 
•    Huntair Cleansuite (Hospital Operating Room (OR)) by Eng. Mark Nordstrom

The participants in this seminar got an equivalent of 2 CEUs from Code [14] GSAS Sponsored Seminar / Workshop in the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program. The CEU is a demonstration of personal commitment to the career and profession and is a mandatory credentialing requirement for maintenance and career progression for GSAS-Certified Green Professionals (GSAS-CGP).

This Seminar comes as a part of the CPD Program within GORD Academy, which aims to validate the knowledge and enhance the skills of the professionals (GORD Members), needed for their career development within the sustainable built environment, as well as empower them with the necessary tools and means of sustainable development, giving them the opportunity to be part of the online community sustainability platform “LinkMe”.

LinkMe is the state of the art online sustainability community platform, established for professionals to: 

•    Manage their Memberships, CEU’s and Qualifications
•    Manage their dynamic profile, participate in events, share ideas & experiences, access resources
•    And, most important, connect with other members.