APIC Supports Coalition to Improve Healthcare Quality

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) announces its support of the Stand for Quality, a diverse coalition of more than 165 healthcare organizations who recently announced a plan to improve the quality and affordability of healthcare for all patients through a public-private partnership. 

“Quality improvement, through the use of performance measures, is the cornerstone of 21st Century healthcare," said Christine J. Nutty, RN, MSN, CIC, APIC 2009 president. "The fact that 165 prestigious healthcare organizations have joined together in taking this stand for quality improvement underscores the critical need for such measures."

In the U.S., healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) claim 99,000 lives annually and incur $20 billion in excess healthcare costs. Since 2006, APIC has been promoting a Targeting Zero philosophy -- the viewpoint that every healthcare institution should be working toward a goal of zero HAIs. While not all HAIs are preventable, APIC believes that all organizations should strive for zero infections.

“As the nation’s largest infection prevention organization, we support Stand for Quality because we recognize that quality improvement and patient safety are inextricably linked,” said Kathy L. Warye, APIC CEO. “APIC worked with the National Quality Forum to develop the national standards for public reporting of HAIs. We believe that transparency will drive improvement in healthcare processes which will reduce infections, save lives and preserve healthcare dollars. We hope this effort represents the beginning of a movement to work together on a shared agenda to increase compliance with proven measures to prevent infections and improve patient outcomes.”

Source: APIC