Reduction of Bloodstream Infections in an Outpatient Dialysis Center

This week's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights the reduction of bloodstream infections in an outpatient hemodialysis center participating in CDC's Dialysis Bloodstream Infection Prevention Collaborative.

One New Jersey facility participating in the collaborative reduced access-related bloodstream infections and only had one bloodstream infection in the last 12 months. Bloodstream infections are a serious concern for patients undergoing hemodialysis, but are preventable with the implementation of recommended infection prevention strategies.

The CDC collaborative is a partnership of freestanding and hospital-based outpatient dialysis facilities that aims to prevent bloodstream infections in dialysis patients. For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/dialysis/collaborative/index.html.

To read about New Jersey's success: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6110a2.htm?s_cid=mm6110a2_e%0d%0a