What practice can help limit disease transmission by healthcare workers?

Limiting healthcare worker (HCW) contact with patients and others is an effective practice to help limit disease transmission. By reducing the frequency and duration of close interactions between healthcare workers and patients, the potential for pathogens to spread decreases significantly. This is particularly important in settings where infectious diseases are prevalent, as it minimizes exposure not just for the healthcare worker but also safeguards other patients and staff.

While increasing training on infection control, providing more protective equipment, and encouraging vaccinations are all important components of an overall infection control strategy, they do not directly address the immediate interpersonal contact that can facilitate the spread of infections. Training can enhance awareness and understanding of infection prevention, protective equipment can serve as a barrier, and vaccination can prevent disease in the first place, but the most direct way to limit transmission is to control how much contact occurs in a healthcare setting. Therefore, limiting HCW contact effectively reduces the risk of spreading infections within clinical environments.