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Concurrent Education Session - 60 minutes

Education, Training and Competencies

Passport to Prevention: Infection Control Considerations in the Age of Medical Tourism

Tuesday, June 17, 2025
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM MST
Location: North Room 224
CE: 1
Live Stream New

    Presenter(s)

  • Heather Stoltzfus, MPH, RN, CIC

    Senior IPC Consultant
    Broad Street Prevention

    Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

    • Moderator(s)

  • Karen McGoldrick, MT (ASCP), CIC,CHOP

    Infection Preventionist
    Sentara Leigh Hospital
    Norfolk, Virginia

    I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

    • Co-Moderator(s)

  • NV

    Nancy Vuong

    I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Session Description: Medical tourism is on the rise—driven by cost, access, and the global pursuit of high-quality care. But as our patients' cross borders, so do infection risks. From multidrug-resistant organisms to unfamiliar surgical practices and disrupted continuity of care, medical tourism presents unique challenges that infection preventionists must be equipped to manage.

This session explores the multifaceted world of medical tourism through the infection prevention lens. You'll learn how international care pathways can impact patient safety and how to advocate for infection prevention strategies when your organization considers or is already participating in medical tourism initiatives.

Through real-world case studies, you’ll uncover critical success factors, cautionary tales, and actionable strategies to align medical tourism programs with global standards in infection prevention and control. Whether you're receiving post-travel patients, building a medical travel program, or advocating for infection prevention in medical tourism, this session will prepare you to protect patients in a world where healthcare knows no borders

Learning Objectives:

  • Define medical tourism and describe its growth drivers, including cost, access, and perceived quality of care.
  • Recognize key infection risks associated with medical tourism, such as multidrug-resistant organisms, surgical site infections, and emerging pathogens.
  • Implement infection prevention strategies that align medical tourism initiatives with global accreditation standards, ethical principles, and patient safety goals.
  • Advocate for infection prevention priorities in organizational discussions around developing or supporting medical tourism programs.
  • Analyze real-world case studies to identify critical success factors, common pitfalls, and lessons learned in medical tourism programs.