HAIs

As many of you know, recent studies have shown that infection rates are lower than previously estimated. The “Multistate Point-Prevalence Survey of Health Care-Associated Infections” published in the March 27 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) found that on any given day, 1 in 25 inpatients in the U.S. have at least one healthcare-associated infection (HAI). In addition, about 75,000 patients who have an HAI will die during hospitalization. While the current estimates of infections are lower than previous estimates, it is hard to draw direct conclusions from these comparisons because of the differences in patient populations studied, changes in surveillance definitions of HAIs, and varied data collection methods.  However, what is clear is that there is still much work to be done.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Checklist for Prevention of Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections (CLABSI) lists as its No. 1 task for clinicians: Perform daily audits as to whether each central line is still needed. However, if the daily audit is not done with a clear and current knowledge of what constitutes a valid indication for central venous access, and if that knowledge is not acted on promptly, what’s the point?

Government agencies and professional organizations are helping ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) integrate infection control practices to help move the dial on surgical site infections (SSIs).

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are preventable. Yet despite ongoing surveillance, rigorous protocols and well-researched policies, HAI’s still occur in one in twenty patients, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC notes that surgical site infections remain the most common HAI, affecting 1 in 50 patients.