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FDA Adds New Safety Warning for Fluoroquinolones
Adding another in a series of label warnings for fluoroquinolones, the FDA is emphasizing that the antibiotics pose too high a risk of patient harm to be used for relatively minor infections. -
Joint Commission Revises IC Devices Standard
The changes generally add more detailed instructions for surveyors, focus on the highest risk to patients, and note that the hang time of endoscopes will not be assessed anymore as an infection control requirement. -
‘Why the Foley?’ Initiative Grabs Attention, Prevents CAUTIs
Not everyone was pleased with the provocative acronym, but an infection preventionist’s “Why the Foley?” campaign captured attention and dramatically reduced catheter-associated urinary tract infections. -
SHEA: Avoid Routine Testing for C. diff in the NICU
In contrast to adult patients, infants under 12 months rarely develop C. diff infection but can be frequently colonized. A positive test may reveal colonization that poses little threat of disease or subsequent transmission, possibly triggering unnecessary treatment and unneeded isolation measures, warns the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America in a new whitepaper.
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Staffing Woes: IP-Hospital Beds Ratio Outdated
Infection prevention staffing needs can vary widely by facilities, but in the absence of an analysis of the actual duties and labor required, many hospitals still rely on outdated IP-patient bed ratios. -
Outcasts: HAIs Stigmatize Discharged Patients
Some patients infected or colonized with MRSA and other multidrug-resistant organisms report feeling stigmatized, comparing their plight to historical outcasts like lepers and plague victims. -
Only 49% Follow CMS Sepsis Protocols
Fewer than half of U.S. hospitals follow CMS’s sepsis treatment requirements, according to a recent government report. -
Improve Hospital Ratings With Patient Input
Hospital ratings on publicly available resources could be improved by allowing patients to prioritize their needs and preferences, according to a recent analysis by the RAND Corporation, a public-private think tank based in California. -
Judge Dismisses Hospital’s Lawsuit Against Leapfrog
A Chicago hospital has failed in its attempt to sue the Leapfrog Group for defamation related to its low score, and the experience may hold a lesson for other hospitals about ensuring the accuracy of data submitted to Leapfrog Group and other ratings organizations. -
BPCI Advanced Program Begins in October
Participation agreements for the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) Advanced program from CMS were due recently, and providers are going live with the program on Oct. 1. In a new twist from old versions of BPCI, CMS has issued an option for providers to retrospectively drop out of the program in March 2019.