Coordinated Infection Control Across Acute And Non-Acute Care Settings: A Review Of Multidepartmental Clinical And Operational Interventions

Abstract

Infection prevention and control remains a persistent challenge across healthcare systems, particularly when patients transition between acute and non-acute care settings. While substantial efforts have focused on department-specific infection control measures, less attention has been given to failures arising from poor coordination across clinical, operational, and administrative domains. This review examines infection control as a care-continuum challenge that extends beyond individual units or disciplines, emphasizing the interconnected roles of medical, support, and governance departments in mitigating infection risks. Drawing on recent multidisciplinary evidence, the review synthesizes findings on infection risk touchpoints along the patient care pathway, including admission, diagnosis, treatment, environmental exposure, and discharge or transfer. It highlights the often-overlooked contributions of non-clinical departments, the influence of human and organizational factors, and the impact of fragmented surveillance and information systems. The review further identifies coordination mechanisms and governance structures associated with improved infection control outcomes. Overall, the findings underscore that effective infection prevention depends on system-wide integration, shared accountability, and coordinated interventions across acute and non-acute care environments.