Infection Control Today Magazine

Infection Rates

Colorado Hospitals Exceed National Standard for Infection Rates in 2012

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s annual Health Facility-Acquired Infections report shows more healthcare facilities in the state met or exceeded the national standard for infection rates in 2012. There were 528 facilities that met or exceeded the ...More
January 31, 2013
Posted in News
Slide Show: HAI Data

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Steering Committee for the Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Infections intends to review on an annual basis progress toward achieving the nine 5-year (end goal of December 31, 2013) goals or targets in the HHS Action ...More
October 19, 2011
Posted in Galleries, Infections & Pathogens, Policies and Practice
Public Reporting in Reducing ICU Infections: Leapfrog Group Responds to CDC Infection Report

Today, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that hospitals and other healthcare facilities are doing a better job of preventing four common infections, the Leapfrog Group's CEO, Leah Binder, pointed to the importance of transparency and public ...More
October 19, 2011
Posted in News, Infections & Pathogens, Policies and Practice
HAIs Declined in 2010, CDC Data Show

Four common infections seen in healthcare facilities declined in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In a policy summit at the National Journal in Washington D.C., CDC staff detailed the reductions that are occurring in infection rates in U.S. ...More
October 19, 2011
Posted in News, Infections & Pathogens, Policies and Practice
Plexus Institute Cutting High Costs and Infection Rates in Hospital Stays

With attention focused on rising costs of healthcare, infection rates play a big role. Healthcare-associated infections are on the rise throughout the country, adding extra days, extra time of doctors and nurses and extra meds, all of which add up quickly. The average extra ...More
August 26, 2011
Posted in News, Infections & Pathogens
Increase in Infection Rates in Patients with Pacemakers and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

New research from the Jefferson Heart Institute shows that patients in the United States who receive cardiac electrophysiological devices (CIEDs), including permanent pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are now at greater risk of contracting an ...More
August 22, 2011
Posted in News, Infections & Pathogens
New Study Shows Higher Nurse Staffing Levels in Hospitals Can Reduce Rates of Infection

Numerous studies have established the overall impact of nurse staffing levels on patient outcomes, but those studies have rarely focused on specific hospital units. Little is known about whether higher staffing levels in intensive care units (ICUs) or in non-intensive care ...More
March 25, 2011
Posted in News
Hospitals Revive Budgets and Shift Purchasing Priorities

Hospital executives are planning for budget increases during the next five years and are prioritizing strategic initiatives that had previously been on hold due to economic constraints. Healthcare insurance reform is also causing hospital management to reevaluate how they ...More
February 15, 2011
Posted in News
Private Room Intensive Care Units Associated With Lower Infection Rates

Converting hospital intensive care units (ICUs) to private rooms is associated with a reduction in the rate at which patients acquire infections, according to a report in the Jan. 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. “Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) occur in ...More
January 10, 2011
Posted in News, PPE & Standard Precautions
Citywide Hand Hygiene Intervention Triggers 25 Percent Drop in Community Infection Rate

An unprecedented public health initiative has demonstrated the potential of hand hygiene awareness and compliance to reduce the spread of illness and related healthcare costs in a community. The study further demonstrated the power of public-private partnerships in tackling ...More
December 13, 2010
Posted in News, Hand Hygiene