EPINet (The Exposure Prevention Information Network), a development and implementation surveillance system which tracks percutaneous injuries and contacts with blood or other body fluids, is aggressively working to increase its presence in India.

A few leading hospitals like the Delhi-based Escorts and Fortis, Workhardt Hospital in Bangalore, Baby Hall Clinic at Pune and Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi have implemented the EPINet software to track the incidence of accidental spillage and needle stick injuries within their facilities.

EPINet, initiated by Dr Janine Jagger from the International Healthcare Worker Safety Center at the University of Virginia, bagged the MacArthur fellowship in recognition of her pioneering work of voluntary data-sharing network for US healthcare facilities.

Millions of healthcare workers globally face a daily risk of contracting life-threatening occupational infections like HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C from exposure to infected blood and body fluids and injuries from contaminated needles. Over the last two decades, US hospitals have been successful in preventing such occupational infections with the creation of safer work environments. Now we are looking at medical centres in India to benefit from safety policies, practices, safer sharp devices and hepatitis B vaccination, Dr Jagger who was in India told Pharmabiz.

The Network has interacted with both public and private hospitals, policy makers, infection control bodies as well as technical agencies on the implementation of EPINet as a first step towards creating a safe work environment for healthcare workers. The response has been encouraging in India, she added.

EPINet surveillance data presentations from other countries have now become a powerful tool to encourage widespread use of EPINet in the Indian healthcare space. The surveillance helps to identify injuries that could be prevented with safer medical devices. The information generated from hospitals can be shared and compared for the successful prevention measures with other institutions. It can also evaluate the efficacy of new devices designed to prevent injuries. The target of EPINet is high-risk devices and procedures for intervention. It can also help to analyze injury frequencies by attributes like jobs, devices, and procedures. In addition, it also allows preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual exposure reports.

US, with close to 1,000 hospitals using EPINet, is the highest user of the software at present. Healthcare workers including nurses and doctors are a precious resource whether they work in government or private medical facilities. "We would like to network with all kinds of facilities in India. Everyone benefits when the lessons about the safest policies, procedures and devices are implemented," informed Dr Jagger.