White House Author

Erica Washington is the Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Coordinator for the State of Louisiana. As the HAI Coordinator, Ms. Washington works with acute care hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and other providers to combat healthcare-associated infections and meet national patient safety goals. Ms. Washington's notable achievements include the successful implementation of the first state-based National Healthcare Safety Network Data Use Agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which will improve Louisiana’s ability to track and prevent healthcare-associated infections. With support from the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund, Louisiana has decreased rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections and catheter-associated urinary tract infections and continues to work toward a zero infection goal. Ms. Washington has served as the 2012 president of the Greater New Orleans Chapter of Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) and currently serves on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Hospital Advisory Committee and the eQHealth Solutions Advisory Committee.