Accreditation issues, antibiotic resistance and CMS' hospital star ratings piqued the interest of infection control readers in 2016.
The following are the 10 most popular stories published by Becker's Infection Control & Clinical Quality in 2016.
1. 10 top patient safety issues for 2016
The Becker's Infection Control & Clinical Quality editorial team chose 10 patient safety issues for providers to consider in 2016, based on the events and trends of 2015.
2. Joint Commission denies Virginia Mason full accreditation after discovering safety issues
The Joint Commission issued a preliminary denial of accreditation to Seattle-based Virginia Mason Medical Center in May after a surprise review revealed noncompliance with 29 standards. That investigation then triggered an investigation by state and federal regulators. The hospital regained full accreditation again in September.
3. Patient body left in shower for 9+ hours at Fla. VA hospital, report finds
The body of a deceased veteran was left in a shower for more than nine hours at the Bay Pines (Fla.) VA Health Care System.
5. CMS releases overall hospital star ratings: 12 things to know
CMS released its Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating program in full in July, assigning a one through five star rating to thousands of hospitals. In the first release, 102 hospitals earned five stars, while 129 hospitals earned one star, the lowest rating possible.
4. Untreatable superbug makes its way to US for first time: 6 things to know
A strain of E. coli resistant to colistin — the antibiotic of last resort — was identified for the first time in the U.S. in April, marking "the emergence of a truly pan-drug resistant bacteria," according to a study in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
6. CDC warns US hospitals of emerging, deadly yeast infection: 7 things to know
The CDC issued a clinical alert to healthcare facilities in the U.S. in June about an emerging, multidrug-resistant yeast called Candida auris that has caused invasive, highly deadly infections across the world.
7. CMS proposed rule for hospitals: Reduce antibiotic use or exit Medicare
In June, CMS released a proposed rule change to its Conditions of Participation, which would, among other changes, require hospitals to implement antibiotic stewardship programs to participate in Medicare and Medicaid.
8. Healthgrades names 2016 Best Hospitals: 4 things to know
Healthgrades, an online resource for information on physicians and hospitals, named its list of America's 50 and 100 Best Hospitals for 2016 in February.
9. Fourth UPMC patient with mold infection dies after outbreak
Che DuVall, who contracted a fungal infection after undergoing a double lung transplant at Pittsburgh-based UPMC Presbyterian, died in February. All total, four transplant patients at UPMC suffered fungal infections, and they are all now deceased.
10. Wrong-patient surgery risks Massachusetts hospital's Medicare funding
Worcester, Mass.-based St. Vincent Hospital was put in immediate jeopardy status with CMS in October after patient identification issues led clinicians to remove a healthy kidney from a patient earlier in the year. The hospital, owned by Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, submitted a correction plan to the state and CMS, which was accepted in November, meaning the hospital's Medicare funding is no longer in jeopardy.