Infection Shield Introduces Six Month IPAC Improvement Framework for Ontario Long Term Care Homes

The consulting model connects risk assessment, corrective action, frontline coaching and follow up so identified gaps translate into daily practice

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, September 24, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Infection Shield today introduced a six-month infection prevention and control improvement framework for Ontario long-term care homes that need to address inspection findings, repeated audit gaps, leadership transitions or broader IPAC program concerns.

The framework is designed to help a home organize improvement work from initial assessment through implementation and follow-up. Rather than treating a policy update, audit or education session as the end of the process, the model connects each identified gap to a responsible owner, a practical action, staff support and a method for checking whether the change is being used in daily work.

Ontario’s Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021 and Ontario Regulation 246/22 establish requirements for infection prevention and control programs in licensed homes. Public Health Ontario’s 2026 best-practice guidance adds that effective programs require leadership support, adequate resources, regular audits, feedback and communication between the IPAC Lead, leadership and other partners. PHO also published an organizational risk-assessment process in April 2026 to help homes identify and prioritize infection-control risks.

Infection Shield’s framework organizes the work into four stages:
• Assess: review applicable findings, program documents, surveillance information and observed practice to establish priorities.
• Plan: translate priorities into a corrective-action plan with accountable owners, target dates and evidence of completion.
• Implement: support leaders and frontline teams through coaching, role-specific education, observation and audit feedback.
• Sustain: reassess priority practices, review results with leadership and establish routines for continued oversight.

Homes can enter the framework with a formal inspection report, an internal assessment, recurring audit concerns or a leadership-identified priority. The first stage defines the baseline and the evidence that will be used to judge progress. Education is then connected to the practice being changed, while follow-up reviews whether the action was completed and whether staff can apply it consistently across shifts and departments.

“The difficult part is rarely writing another policy. It is helping people understand what must change on the next shift, supporting them as they make the change and checking that the new practice holds over time,” said Dr. Kamyab Ghatan, Founder and President of Infection Shield Consulting Inc. “Our framework gives leadership and the IPAC Lead a practical way to move from findings to sustained action.”

The scope can be adapted to the home’s priorities and may include onsite assessments, action planning, policy review, environmental and clinical practice observations, staff education, surveillance support, hand-hygiene and PPE auditing, leadership reporting and follow-up reassessment. The home retains responsibility for regulatory compliance, clinical decisions and implementation; Infection Shield provides independent assessment, education and improvement support.

The framework is not a guarantee of a particular inspection, outbreak or infection-rate outcome. Each engagement begins with a defined scope, evidence requirements and measures selected with the home.
Long-term care leaders can review the framework and request a confidential scoping discussion at infectionshield.ca/free-consult/.

About Infection Shield Consulting Inc.
Infection Shield Consulting Inc. supports health-care and long-term care organizations with infection prevention and control assessment, program development, education, surveillance, auditing, outbreak preparedness and implementation support. Its work is tailored to the organization’s setting, risks, workforce and operational needs. Learn more at infectionshield.ca.

Kamyab Ghatan M.D., AL-CIP™, CIC®, LTC-CIP®, DISIPC, CDIPC
Infection shield consulting Inc.
+1 844-999-6368
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