Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyards
35960 Rancho California Road, Temecula, CA

Friday,  September 16, 2016 7:30am – 3:30pm

The Changing Landscape of Infection Prevention

Program Description:

This year the San Diego/Imperial County APIC chapter Annual Conference will focus on helping healthcare personnel and Infection Preventionists become more comfortable in the many evolving roles they play in making sure our patients receiving the safest and best healthcare through infection prevention. This educational program is for professionals in Infection Prevention, Surgery, Anesthesiology, Nursing, OR staff, Environmental Services, Home Health, Long Term Care, Ambulatory Care,  and Ambulatory Surgical Centers. 6.0 Hours of CEU credits will be provided for this event.  There will be a vendor fair, raffle prizes and wine tasting at end of the event.

Program Outline:

To register as a participant:   

To reserve a vendor table:      

Speakers

Barbara Connell, MS, MT(ASCP)SH

Barbara Connell is the Vice President of Clinical Services at Medline Industries, in Mundelein, Illinois. She earned her Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of St Francis in Joliet, IL. and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology from Creighton University. She has over 20 years’ experience as a Medical Technologist working at various levels of the lab, specifically in the areas of microbiology, infectious diseases and hematology. She also has 15 years’ experience in the IVD Laboratory Diagnostics business where she focused her love of science on new product development, execution of scientific studies, customer education and development of Key Opinion Leaders.  As VP of Clinical Services, Barb is responsible for the development and execution of Medline’s infection prevention programs. She currently resides in Lake in the Hills, IL with her husband and the last of 3 children who will just not leave the nest. She loves to garden, when the weather is cooperative and enjoys running after her twin grandsons.

Russ Olmsted, MPH, CIC

Russell Olmsted is the director, Infection Prevention and Control Services for Trinity Health, in MI. Russ has been an infection preventionist for more than 30 years and is involved in several activities related to infection prevention and control on a state, national, and international basis. His activities had included serving as an Associate Editor of AJIC, President of APIC in 2011, and membership of the Steering Committee for NHSN. Russ has published several peer-reviewed articles and other publications and served as editor of the 1996 APIC Text, associate editor and member of the editorial board of the American Journal for Infection Control (AJIC) and past editor of the APIC News.

Eric C. McDonald, MD, MPH, FACEP

Dr. Eric C. McDonald earned a BA from Williams College in 1981 and received his MD from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 1985. He completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at Naval Medical Center, San Diego and served a total of 24 years on active duty in the United States Navy, including two combat tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  After retiring from the Navy in 2005, he practiced emergency medicine at Naval Medical Center, San Diego until completing his MPH at San Diego State University in 2010.  He joined County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) in 2010 and is currently the Medical Director of the Epidemiology and Immunizations Services Branch, Public Health Services, HHSA

Francesca Torriani, MD

Dr. Torriani is the Medical Director for the Infection Prevention and Clinical Epidemiology Unit at the University of California San Diego. She earned her MD in Internal Medicine in Switzerland and her Fellowship in Infectious Disease in San Diego.  Dr. Torriani is widely published with over 70 peer-reviewed articles to her name as well as serving on Editorial Board of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.  During her career, she has been appointed/elected to many national and international medical society boards and committees including California Department of Public Health’s Healthcare-Associated Infection Advisory Committee and Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Public Policy and Governing Affairs Committee.  Dr. Torriani currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for Infectious Disease Association of California (IDAC).

Angela Vassallo, MPH, MS, CIC

Angela Vassallo is the Director of Infection Prevention/Epidemiology at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. She is Faculty at West Coast University in Los Angeles, CA where she teaches Health Research Methods to graduate students. She is very excited about her recent work on the design of the first Master’s degree (MS) program in Infection Prevention at Great Falls University in Montana. She is currently designing the first course these MS in IP students will take – Epidemiology for the Infection Preventionist.

She has a BA in International Service from the American University in Washington, DC, a MS in Health Care Management from West Coast University, and a MPH in International and Family Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center, School of Public Health in Houston, TX. She is certified in Infection Control with a “CIC” designation and is a member of the inaugural group of APIC Fellows with an “FAPIC” designation.

Angela is the 2016 President-Elect of CA APIC (Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology) and a Past-President of the Greater Los Angeles (“GLA”) APIC chapter. Under Angela’s leadership, GLA APIC was the first APIC chapter to use social media. She is also on the national APIC Communications Committee.

Some of the issues near and dear to her heart on which she often presents include, social media for infection prevention/hospital epidemiology, high level disinfection, C. difficile prevention, and emerging issues in international health. She speaks French, Spanish, Italian and some English. She used to live in Africa and is often skin test positive, but is not a TB carrier. Thus, PAPRs will not be required for her presentation.

Jacque Opfer LVN, CIC

Jacque Opfer is currently a clinical practitioner in the Infection Prevention and Clinical Epidemiology unit at the University of California at San Diego. She has been practicing infection prevention since 2006 and is Certified in Infection Control (CIC).  She also has over 20 years of experience in identifying safety issues in healthcare areas through her service as a healthcare facility surveyor for the State of Wisconsin and work with the State of Colorado on reduction of restraint use resulting in the publication: Releasing 100,000 People. Reducing the use of Restraints in Long-Term Care. As an Infection Preventionist at UCSD, one of Jacque’s many responsibilities is surveillance of the endoscopy units, assuring their adherence to patient safety and survey readiness. Happily married to husband Charlie and is a sucker for any puppy that needs a home