Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR)

The Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) program offers health care facilities the opportunity to participate in a consultative review of infection prevention practices.

ICAR visits include:

Hand hygiene
Isolation procedures
Environmental cleaning
Employee safety
Antimicrobial stewardship
Injection safety
High-level disinfection and sterilization practices
Surveillance activities

Schedule an ICAR visit

ICAR visits are:

Designed to assess infection prevention strengths and opportunities on a variety of infection control topics.
Offered at no cost.
Conducted by infection preventionists from Clark County Public Health.
Utilize tools from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Performed in a variety of health care settings (e.g., hospitals, long-term care, outpatient, dialysis, dental).
Focused on education and offer the most up-to-date infection prevention resources to participating health care facilities.

Facilities will gain:

An in-person or virtual assessment that is consultative and non-regulatory, lasting approximately 2-4 hours.
Tailored resources, tools, and training.
Ongoing consultation with an infection preventionist from Clark County Public Health.
A sustainable partnership for ongoing improvement.
A certificate of completion endorsed by Clark County Public Health and the Washington State Department of Health.

To view a sampling of the great resources provided during ICAR assessments, check out the all-in-one Infection Prevention Resources for Healthcare Facilities

Frequently asked questions

ICAR are free and non-regulatory.

Facility assessments are not shared with any regulatory agencies unless an egregious violation is observed.

ICARs are not required in Washington state but are an excellent opportunity to review and improve your infection prevention policies and protocols.

You will receive a certificate of participation that you can display. You will also receive a concise report with tailored resources and tools after the visit.

There are many benefits for doing an ICAR. You will receive customized resources and education on your IPC policies and protocols that need improvement. A sustainable partnership for ongoing improvement.

The certificate of participation shows your facility’s commitment to infection control and prevention. However, recommendations made need to be implemented.

ICARs take approximately 2-4 hours or less, depending on the size of the facility.

Our Infection Preventionist will be the primary consultant on the visit. On occasion an IP trainee or a second Infection Preventionist might attend to gain experience.

Email the Infection Prevention program.