Transmission Control

What if you could detect an outbreak before anyone realized one existed? In this episode of Transmission Control, we sit down with Alex Sundermann to explore how genomic surveillance is changing the way we identify and stop healthcare-associated transmission. Through a comprehensive surveillance program, Alex's team discovered that most suspected outbreaks weren't actually outbreaks, and that doze...

Ask any #CleanFreak, and they'll tell you—endoscope reprocessing is one of the most complex processes in Sterile Processing. So how are you setting your team up for success? In this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Kevin Anderson are joined by Jennifer Leitner, Dyan Darga, and Emiley Body to take a closer look at the real challenges impacting endoscope reprocessing...

What if the surfaces you think are clean are actually hosting resilient biofilms that standard disinfection can't fully eliminate? In this episode of Transmission Control, Garrett sits down with Jon Otter to explore the hidden world of dry surface biofilm, pathogen adherence, and what that means for your disinfection program. From VRE surviving for years on dry surfaces to Candida auris behaving m...

Temperature swings, humidity spikes, HVAC failures, and water emergencies — oh my! In this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Benjamin Galvan are joined by Jonathan Wilder, Chase Elms, and Aaron Preston to explore how environmental emergencies can impact Sterile Processing operations. Together, they tackle real-world scenarios that can quickly disrupt workflows and t...

What if a visit from your state's infection prevention team wasn't something to fear, but your strongest prevention tool? In this episode of Transmission Control, Garrett and Jill sit down with Cheri Fast, State HAI Coordinator, to reframe Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) visits as proactive partnerships instead of punitive checklists. From walking facilities and using real-time ph...

Think water is just water? Not in Sterile Processing! In this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Aaron Preston are joined by water quality experts Shane Sullivan and Jeffrey Paquet to break down why water quality matters and what the ST108 standard means for your SPD. Together, they explore key concepts like utility water vs. critical water and dig into what RO, DI,...

What if the next infection risk was built into your walls before the first patient ever arrived? In this episode of Transmission Control, we sit down with Alyson Prince-Byrne, an experienced Built Environment Infection Control Specialist, to explore how infrastructure decisions shape patient safety long before occupancy. From water stagnation and dead legs to ventilation design and commissioning g...

Robotic surgery is a game-changer for patient care — but what does that mean for the teams responsible for safely reprocessing these complex instruments? In this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," hosts Jill Holdsworth and Rebecca Alvino are joined by Rebecca Peplau, Vanessa Frank, and Tamara Behm to tackle the most common challenges of robotic instrument reprocessing. From sinks that are too small...

Patient safety starts with a clean environment—but how often do gray areas in cleaning responsibilities create confusion between Infection Prevention and Environmental Services? In this Season 4 premiere of Transmission Control, hosts Garrett Hollembeak and Trey Morrow sit down with Mike Epperson, Area Vice President at HHS, to explore one of healthcare's most critical partnerships: IP and EVS. Fr...

Hey #CleanFreaks, pop quiz: When's the last time you washed your hands on the clean side, and should you have? On this episode of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth, co-host Rebecca Alvino, and special guests Ebow Holdbrook-Smith and Ivan Gowe dive into the gray areas of when, where, and how SPD staff should be performing hand hygiene. From identifying the critical transition points where...

From the OR to SPD, those contaminated instruments are on the move, and so are pathogens! In this Season 2 premiere of "On Pathogens & PPE," host Jill Holdsworth and co-host Nicholas Day are joined by Rebecca Lauber, Kendall Ashe, Adam Okada, and Crystal Heishman to break down what really happens when soiled instruments leave the OR and make their journey to decontam. From point-of-use pre-treatme...

How do we turn hard-won victories into lasting change, inside hospitals and across our communities? In the Season 3 finale of the Transmission Control Podcast, Garrett and Jill sit down with Allie Piatkowski, Founder and CEO of Piat Public Health. Allie reflects on the personal leap of launching her own public health consultancy and the wins she's seeing in a field still navigating post-pandemic r...

What does it really take to succeed in infection prevention when the playbook isn't clear? In this episode of the Transmission Control Podcast, we sit down with Whitney Daum to explore the human skills of IP leadership that matter just as much as the data. Whitney shares how her background in nursing, public health, and education shapes the way she builds trust, navigates uncertainty, and leads wi...

Perfect imaging every time. No repairs. No reprocessing. Could single-use arthroscopes be the answer? On this special Beyond Clean, First Case, Power Supply, and Transmission Control Vendor Spotlight™ co-release episode, we're joined by Rich McKillop, CEO of Pristine Surgical , to explore how their Summit™ 4K Single-Use Arthroscope is redefining what efficiency looks like in the OR. Learn how this...

Breaking into infection prevention can feel impossible without prior experience. But how do you get that experience if no one will hire you first? In this episode of the Transmission Control Podcast, Garrett and Jill are joined by Infection Preventionist, Paul Gentile, to tackle one of the biggest gaps in the IP workforce: meaningful, hands-on internships. Paul shares his own unconventional path i...

This week on the Transmission Control podcast, Garrett and Jill sit down with Aaron Woodall, newly elected APIC Board Member and longtime federal IP leader, for an honest conversation about where the IP field is headed—and what it will take to move it forward. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience across the Army, DoD, and VA, Aaron shares why he chose to step into national leadership and wh...

In this episode of the Transmission Control podcast, Garrett and Jill sit down with Emily Barnard, Infection Prevention Manager at Mountains Community Hospital, for a candid look at what it really takes to rebuild an infection prevention (IP) program in a rural, resource-limited setting. Emily shares what it was like stepping into a hospital with no dedicated IP for more than two years—and how she...

What does it look like to become an IP with a terminal degree? In this episode of Transmission Control's Victory Lap series, Garrett Hollembeak and Jill Holdsworth sit down with Dr. Lerenza Howard, Manager of Infection Prevention, Employee Health, and Quality Improvement at La Rabida Children's Hospital. Dr. Lerenza guides us through her journey to earning her doctorate in Health Science while wor...

If Candida auris can spread silently through your facility, how do you stop it before it spreads too far? In this episode of Transmission Control, Blake Thomas, MPH, joins hosts Garrett Hollembeak and Jill Holdsworth to break down how point prevalence surveys (PPS) are a critical tool in identifying hidden transmission and containing risk. From setting clear screening criteria—like LTC/SNF exposur...

What does it actually take for EVS to finish on the podium—clean rooms, clean data, and a clean survey? On this Season 3 premiere of Transmission Control, we welcome Allen Cooper and Kyle Piccirello to break down how a frontline culture and the right technology turned chronic pain points into measurable wins at a major medical center. From daily huddles and color-coded bins to real-time documentat...

We're closing out Season 2 of the Transmission Control podcast with Joi A. McMillon, whose bold, visual posts on survey readiness have taken IP social media by storm. In this episode, Joi breaks down her "everyday readiness" playbook—showing how IPs can move from reactive prep to proactive excellence long before surveyors arrive. She shares how just-in-time training, focused micro-audits, and nigh...

What's the real difference between a requirement and a recommendation—and why does it matter so much during a survey? In this episode of Transmission Control, hosts Garrett Hollembeak and Jill Holdsworth sit down with Sylvia Garcia-Houchins, former Director of Infection Prevention and Control at The Joint Commission, to decode one of the most misunderstood parts of accreditation. Sylvia breaks dow...

The OR can feel intimidating for IPs, but it doesn't have to. In this episode, hosts Garrett Hollembeak and Jill Holdsworth sit down with Maureen Spencer and Peter Graves to demystify survey readiness where it matters most: behind the red line. They unpack the most common citation magnets like surgical attire, hand hygiene, medication safety, and point-of-use treatment to show how you can replace...

In this special release episode of Transmission Control, we're breaking down the new Advanced Leadership Certification in Infection Prevention (AL-CIP™)  from CBIC and why it matters for Infection Prevention leaders! Joining us for this conversation are Jessica Dangles, Gail Fraine, Erin (Beck) Wilder, Lisa Hannah, and Kornelija Delibasic, who share what motivated them to pursue this milestone, th...

What if the real measure of a "perfect survey" wasn't zero citations, but lasting improvements to patient safety? On this episode of Transmission Control, we welcome Ericka Kalp—an infection preventionist and epidemiologist with more than 20 years of experience—to explore how even the most challenging survey moments can drive meaningful change. From hallway shortcuts that raise red flags to the cu...