A. The advisory committee shall identify hospitals willing and qualified to participate in surveillance of hospital-acquired infections as identified by the advisory committee. Recruitment of participating hospitals shall begin on a voluntary basis and shall include at least six hospitals representing rural and urban areas of the state. By July 1, 2011, the hospitals identified by the advisory committee as qualified shall participate in the surveillance program.
B. The advisory committee shall identify specific training and educational needs of participating hospitals, and the department shall develop curricula to reflect the training and educational recommendations of the advisory committee. The department shall provide training and educational support to participating hospitals subject to available resources. The department shall collaborate with the higher education department to identify appropriate programs for training and certification of infection control professionals.