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Surgical Site Infections and the Patient Microbiome
Evidence is mounting that the vast majority of surgical site infections (SSIs) are caused by microorganisms on patients’ skin and in their nares, meaning intensifying and improving skin prep and nasal decolonization could greatly reduce SSIs. -
IPs Finally Moving the Needle on C. diff
A combination of antibiotic stewardship, infection prevention, and environmental cleaning contributed to a 20% reduction in Clostridioides difficile from 2016 to 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
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IPs Held the Line When AIDS Epidemic Hit U.S.
Currently president of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Karen Hoffmann was a new IP at Detroit Medical Center 38 years ago. She recalls the day in 1981 when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report on the first cases of what eventually would be called AIDS. Hospital Infection Control & Prevention talked to Hoffmann about the IP experience during the epidemic in the following interview.
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A Bold Strategy to End the AIDS Epidemic in the U.S.
While taking an overall national approach, the plan — part of a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies — would target specific geographic areas and at-risk populations. The goals are a 75% reduction in infections in the next five years and a 90% reduction in 10 years. -
Leapfrog Group Finds Hospitals Implementing Safety Systems but Not Fully Utilizing
A majority of hospitals are meeting the standards for computerized physician order entry set by the The Leapfrog Group, based in Washington, DC, according to a recent report from the group. -
Net Promoter Scores Used to Address Patient Satisfaction, Quality
A healthcare organization is finding success with using a measure of customer satisfaction to drive quality improvement. -
Press Ganey Finds Higher Engagement Tied to Better Outcomes
Having healthcare employees who are more engaged with their jobs leads to better quality scores, according to Press Ganey’s recent 2019 Strategic Insights white paper, “Accelerating Transformation: Translating Strategy into Action.” -
Quick Wins in Quality: Hand Hygiene, Disinfection, Sepsis Reduction
Quality improvement professionals are reporting more “quick wins” in which a relatively simple change in processes and procedures yields significant advances in patient care and safety. Germ-zapping robots and handwashing monitors can both be introduced with minimal effort and bring great advances in quality of care. -
Analysis Finds ABCDEF Bundle Is Game-Changer for ICU
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN, and other institutions assessed the ABCDEF bundle in 2018 and concluded that it “represents one method of approaching the organizational changes that create a culture shift in treatment of ICU patients.” The benefits outweigh the associated costs and required coordination, the researchers concluded. -
ABCDEF Bundle Improves Care in ICU, but EHR Can Be Hurdle
The ABCDEF bundle is gaining acceptance as an effective way to improve the care of critically ill patients, but some hospitals find implementation difficult. One hospital’s experience illustrates some of the challenges — and the strategies that can help overcome them.