LRN Lab Director Cover Letter - CDI Baseline

Appendix C5

Date

Dear Laboratory Response Network (LRN) Reference Laboratory Director:

The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are conducting an important survey that focuses on awareness and use of published laboratory practice guidelines related to improving diagnosis and management of patients with Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection. The intent of the survey is to use the results to improve dissemination and implementation of laboratory practice guidelines in order to reduce hospital costs and improve patient care and safety throughout the country. These issues are important to the clinical care of patients, public health, and the LRN since accurate and timely diagnosis of C. difficile is important for identifying threat agents.

In order to reach all U.S. laboratories that diagnose C. difficile, we are asking that you forward the attached letter to all LRN sentinel laboratories in your state or jurisdiction by (insert date- TBD upon OMB approval) 2016. Participant responses will be anonymous and only aggregated results will be shared.

Thank you for your help in disseminating this important survey. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Sincerely,

Alice S. Weissfeld, Ph.D., D(ABMM), F(AAM)

Chair, ASM’s Committee on Evidence-based Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines

Attachment

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