Episode 57: Revisiting Return-to-Work Policies: Preventing Respiratory Virus Transmission in Healthcare

In this episode of The ICHE Podcast, Editor-in-Chief David Calfee is joined by Drs. Catherine Passaretti and Michael Klompas for a timely discussion on healthcare-acquired respiratory viral infections (HA-RVIs). Together, they explore how frequently these infections occur, the primary sources of transmission—including infected healthcare personnel (HCP)—and the infection prevention strategies aimed at minimizing risk. Dr. Passaretti walks listeners through her recently published letter proposing updates to current HCP return-to-work guidelines following COVID-19 infection. She explains the rationale behind the proposal, citing key concerns with existing guidance. Dr. Klompas then discusses two papers: one by Stone et al., which investigates the impact of current return-to-work policies, and another by Klompas himself, which reflects on the broader implications and outlines additional strategies to reduce HCP-to-patient transmission risk. The episode concludes with actionable insights from each participant, offering practical steps that healthcare facilities can implement today to enhance respiratory virus prevention and reevaluate HCP return-to-work protocols based on evolving evidence and epidemiology. This conversation offers valuable guidance for healthcare leaders, infection preventionists, and policy makers navigating a post-COVID landscape.