Take It Easy! Artificial Intelligence Will Be Your New Best Friend!

Session Description: Infection preventionists (IPs) play a crucial role in maintaining patient safety and mitigating the spread of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) within healthcare settings. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, IPs have the opportunity to leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their day-to-day practice and drive more effective infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies. The strategic integration of AI tools will be crucial in empowering IPs to stay ahead of emerging infectious disease challenges and maintain the highest standards of patient safety. AI and its subfields, including machine learning, deep learning, and large language models, can support IPs’ decision-making and streamline their workflow. AI is unlikely to replace the role of IP experts but could instead augment it. However, we must carefully address and mitigate its limitations to ensure its effective implementation. IP experts can be engaged in AI implementation by participating in training and education, designing, validating, and evaluating algorithms, and continuing to advocate for their vital role in patient safety.
This session will address how IPs can embrace these AI-driven innovations to enhance their day-to-day practice, make more informed decisions, and ultimately improve patient outcomes and healthcare quality. Examples of current AI models integrated into HAI surveillance, education and training, environmental cleaning, and IPC process monitoring will be discussed. IPs from different career levels will learn a lot from this exciting and interactive session.

Bassel Molaeb

Healthcare Advisor, Trainer & Infection Prevention and Control Consultant, The Compass Health Consultancy, Dubai, UAE

Bassel Molaeb is the Healthcare Advisor, Trainer, and IPC Consultant for The Compass Health Consultancy in the UAE. He is an IPC expert with over 15 years of experience and has served as a consultant for several organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO). He was selected as the 2019 International Ambassador for SHEA and currently serves as a member of the SHEA Awards Committee. He is also a Fellow and Hero of APIC and served on multiple APIC committees and task forces. Bassel holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the American University of Beirut (AUB) and is board certified in infection prevention and control (CIC) by CBIC. He is currently a PhD candidate in Public Health at Lancaster University (UK), with research interests focused on the application of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in IPC training and education.

Mohamed Elhadidi

Executive Director of infection control , Dallah healthcare

Dr. Elhadidi has worked for more than 15 years in infection prevention and control in the Middle East. (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain), earned his MBBCH from Ain Shams School of Medicine and Surgery in 2006 and completed his postgraduate studies in infection control in 2011, is CIC certified since 2015, earned his MBA in risk management in India in 2017, and Master of Science in Health Care Management in Switzerland in 2022 and Board certified in long-term care infection prevention in 2022. Today, he manages the Infection Control Departments at Dallah Healthcare KSA (5 hospitals) and has been an Assessor of Infection Control at the Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions for more than 8 years. He is a tutor for the Saudi MOH IC Diploma and a member of the APIC 2022 ,2023,2024 Annual Conference Committee and chairman of abstract subcommittee for APIC 2025 .

Carol McLay

IP DIRECTOR , ASCENSION HEALTH

Dr. Carol M. McLay, DrPH, MPH, RN, FAPIC, FSHEA, CIC is a consultant specializing in infection prevention and control, healthcare epidemiology, and public health, with over 25 years of experience advancing clinical practice, research, and education. A passionate advocate for certification and education, Dr. McLay is committed to mentoring the next generation of infection preventionists. She frequently speaks at state, national, and international conferences and is the author of The Infection Prevention Competency Review Guide, 4th Edition, and APIC’s Certification Study Guide (5th–7th editions). Dr. McLay will serve as the 2025 APIC President and holds leadership roles on the International Federation for Infection Control (IFIC) Board and the AJIC Editorial Board. She is certified in infection prevention and control, a Fellow of APIC and SHEA, and a certified ISO 9001 Lead Auditor.