FAQ - VIPTA

VIPTA Users & Partnership

Who organizes and maintains VIPTA?

Virginia HAI Advisory Group (VHAG) Infection Prevention Education Workgroup members coordinate, evaluate and distribute VIPTA resources.

Visit the VHAG web page to learn more about the advisory group and its workgroups.

Who uses VIPTA?

VIPTA is designed to provide resources to anyone who is searching for information about infection prevention and control, healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance, and/or antimicrobial stewardship.

Individual Users

VIPTA resources are designed for individuals who work in healthcare, congregate settings, public health, or who have responsibilities that require understanding of infection prevention methods.

Users are encouraged to interact with VIPTA to ensure its success and sustainability.

VIPTA Partners

Partnership is maintained at the group level (e.g., agency, association, facility, organization, practice).

We welcome and encourage all healthcare-associated facilities and groups, congregate care settings and/or public health entities to become VIPTA partners.

VIPTA partners are encouraged to share educational events, research, educational materials, and ideas related to infection prevention and control.

What are the partner eligibility criteria?

Organizations are encouraged to become partners if their principal role is providing, assessing or supporting healthcare.

Industry vendors may become partners if they agree to share concepts related to infection prevention and control. Vendors cannot promote or market products.

How do I become a VIPTA partner?

Visit the VIPTA Partner web page to learn more and complete this short form to get started.

To become a partner, you must share the facility/group name, a signed letter from your organization's leadership acknowledging participation in VIPTA, list partner representatives, and agree to do the following:

Promote VIPTA and become a proponent of building a statewide infection prevention and control community
Interact with monthly VIPTA products
Share relevant events to be included in the VIPTA calendar
Share ideas for materials to review, gaps to be filled, and ways to improve collaboration in infection prevention and control

Template Leadership Participation Acknowledgement Letter

What are the benefits of becoming a VIPTA partner?

VIPTA is designed to strengthen infection prevention efforts through collaboration and sharing. As a partner you will:

Highlight your organization and communication channels on the VIPTA Partners webpage
Increase visibility of your research by sharing on the VIPTA Partners webpage
Increase visibility of your events by sharing on the VIPTA calendar
Collaborate to strengthen the infection prevention discipline

How do I get involved with VIPTA?

Ways to get involved with VIPTA:

Follow #VIPTA
Subscribe to Vitamin IPC, a monthly VIPTA bulletin
Represent your organization and become a VIPTA partner
Join a VIPTA subcommittee
Become a VIPTA library resource reviewer and earn continuing education credits (more information coming soon!)

Check out the About VIPTA webpage to learn more about VIPTA subcommittee roles.

VIPTA Products

What does VIPTA provide for users and partners?

VIPTA is a one-stop-shop for IPC-related information and events. Features include:

Website for easy-access to IPC-related news, events, documents, and tools

Monthly e-mail bulletins and time-sensitive special bulletins to subscribers

What guidance updates does VIPTA share?

Monthly guidance and regulation updates shared on the VIPTA website will be limited to HAI/AR/IPC resources published by: Virginia state & federal regulatory bodies and select nationally recognized councils (e.g., VDH, CDC, CMS, OSHA, CORHA, CSTE, SHEA, etc.).

How do I subscribe to the VIPTA Bulletin?

Complete this short form to receive the monthly VIPTA bulletin, Vitamin IPC. Check out the Vitamin IPC webpage to view past issues.

Subscriber Terms of Use: VIPTA will collect your full name, email address, professional role, and workplace setting. This information will be stored in a secure environment, not shared with other entities, and not used for other purposes. Twelve bulletin emails are planned per calendar year; limited distribution of special time-sensitive bulletins may occur.

How do I share an event on the calendar and what types of events can be shared on the calendar?

Complete a short form to submit an event to the VIPTA calendar and include the following pieces of information:

Title
Date & time
Short description
Fee
Website link for more information

The calendar is updated on a monthly basis. All calendar additions must be submitted by the 20th day of each month to be included in the Vitamin IPC bulletin for the next month. Any VIPTA partner can share education and training events related to infection prevention & control (IPC), healthcare-associated infections (HAI), antimicrobial resistance (AR), or antimicrobial stewardship (AS). The events must be available to relevant workforce in Virginia.

VIPTA leadership will review any submissions flagged as inappropriate and follow-up with partners individually.

How do I share research activities on the VIPTA Partner page?

Complete a short form to submit a research activity to the VIPTA Partners webpage

VIPTA leadership will review any submissions flagged as inappropriate and follow-up with partners individually.

I’ve identified an educational need; can VIPTA create educational content and/or training events?

Yes! Please complete a short form to share your ideas.

VIPTA Education & Training Resource Library

What is the scope and purpose of the VIPTA Education and Training Resource Library?

The purpose of the VIPTA Education and Training Resource Library is to provide an accessible and navigable matrix of state and national education and training resources related to healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance and/or infection prevention and control. The VIPTA Resource Library is not all encompassing but will promote visibility of local (Virginia) materials and highlight exemplary, innovative and engaging education and training resources for infection prevention and control.

What types of resources are included in the VIPTA Education and Training Resource Library?

Education and training resources within the VIPTA Education and Training Resource Library are learning and assessment materials specifically developed to address healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance and/or infection prevention and control. All resources follow evidence-based guidelines and must align with guidance and standards set by state, federal and national organizations. Education and training resources can include, but are not limited to, frequently asked questions, infographics, scenario/activity-based learning, presentations, webinars, courses, videos, toolkits, assessment tools, and in-person events. Resources that exclusively contain guidance and/or policy are not included in the resource directory. Please refer to state, federal and national organizations for relevant guidance and policy.

When state, federal or national organizations conflict on recommended guidance or standards educational resources that align with VDH recommendations should be prioritized, followed by CDC or federal organizations. Virginia state and federal guidance supersede guidance from national professional organizations.

How do I submit content to be reviewed for potential inclusion in the VIPTA Education and Training Library?

Complete a short form to submit an Education & Training Library resource.

What is the review process for content included in the VIPTA Education & Training Library?

More information coming soon!

Please refer to the VIPTA Resource Library Definitions webpage for more details on the resource library inclusion criteria and search categories.

Last Updated: October 11, 2023