Platt, RichardCaldwell, Blake2011-04-192001Platt, Richard, and Blake Caldwell. 2001. Can managed health care help manage health care-associated infections? Emerging Infectious Diseases 7(2): 358-362.1080-6040http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:4859263Managed-care organizations have a unique opportunity, still largely unrealized, to collaborate with health-care providers and epidemiologists to prevent health care-associated infections. Several attributes make these organizations logical collaborators for infection control programs: they have responsibility for defined populations of enrollees and for their overall health, including preventive care; they possess unique data resources about their members and their care; and they are able to make systemwide changes in care. Health care-associated infections merit the attention and effort of managed-care organizations because these infections are common, incur substantial illness and costs, and can be effectively prevented by using methods that are unevenly applied in different health-care settings. Both national and local discussions will be required to enable the most effective and efficient collaborations between managed care organizations and health-care epidemiologists. It will be important to articulate clear goals and standards that can be readily understood and widely adopted.en-USJournal Article2011-04-1910.3201/eid0702.010243