A perspective on OR laminar air flow
This perspective elaborates on recent study findings published in the November 2008 Annals of Surgery, which conclude there may be little benefit from vertical laminar air flow (LAF) for preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) in orthopedic and general surgical procedures. The investigation by Christian Brandt, MD, and colleagues from Germany…
HHS launches action plan to prevent HAIs
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched an action plan with 5-year targets for preventing health care-associated infections (HAIs). The plan was developed by an HHS steering committee involving a number of federal agencies. "This plan will serve as our roadmap on how the department addresses…
New infection requirements in 2009 Patient Safety Goals
Organizations that haven't already adopted evidence-based practices to prevent infections will need to do so to meet Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals in 2009. For surgery, that includes appropriate administration of antibiotics and eliminating preoperative shaving. As part of the 2009 goals announced June 17, facilities will have to…
Updated infection control guidelines
Revised infection control guidelines for GI endoscopy have been issued by the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA) and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). Both SGNA and ASGE point out that failure to adhere to established reprocessing guidelines accounts for most if not all of reported cases…
Mediastinitis: Targeting zero infections
A new push is on to reduce hospital-acquired infections—the target is zero. As of Oct 1, 2008, Medicare will not pay hospitals for additional costs associated with 3 types of infections deemed preventable: catheter-associated urinary tract infections central line catheter-associated bloodstream infections mediastinitis—a deep sternal incisional infection following coronary artery…
Safe injections stressed after Nevada outbreak
Health officials are underlining the need to follow safe injection practices after a recent hepatitis outbreak in Nevada. Reuse of syringes and medication vials is believed to be the source of 6 cases of hepatitis C in patients who had procedures at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada in Las…
ABC's of HCA's MRSA control program
HCA, the hospital corporation based in Nashville, Tennessee, with 170 hospitals, is taking an aggressive stance on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with its "ABCs" for MRSA control. The effort is led by HCA's chief medical officer, Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, MSHA, FACP. The ABCs include: Active surveillance cultures Barrier precautions…
Hospitals lag in steps to prevent UTIs
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common hospital-acquired infection, accounting for 40% of such cases. But most hospitals don't have a consistent strategy for preventing catheter-related UTIs. And most aren't taking basic steps that keep UTIs at bay, a new study finds. Use of urinary catheters is common. One…
CMS updates infection control guidelines
New surveyor guidelines spell out what Medicare expects from hospital infection control programs to help fight current threats like multidrug-resistant organisms, disease outbreaks like flu or SARS, and bioterrorism. The hospital conditions of participation for infection control have not changed. The revised guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid…
Are hospital infections inevitable?
What should our surgical infection rate be? The conventional way to answer is to benchmark your hospital's rates with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But the new answer is likely to be-zero. It's been thought that a certain number of hospital-acquired infections are to be…
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