Several hospitals are working to improve patient safety and curb infection control problems after recent reports found lapses in patient care.
Since November, Becker's has tracked five hospitals in the news for safety issues, patient deaths and infection control problems. Here's how they're responding to errors with patients:
1. 3 patients die after contracting Legionnaires' disease in Wisconsin hospital
Fourteen patients contracted Legionnaires' disease during an outbreak linked to the water system at UW Health's University Hospital in Madison, Wis., and three of those patients died. After the outbreak was discovered in November, the hospital flushed its hot water system with high levels of chlorine to eliminate the bacteria.
2. 1 in 10 heart patients died at Johns Hopkins All Children's last year, investigation finds
Nearly 1 in 10 pediatric patients treated at St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Johns Hopkins All Children's Heart Institute died in 2017, an investigation by the Tampa Bay Times found. During an 18-month span, 11 patients died after undergoing procedures led by the program's two top heart surgeons. The hospital's mortality rate also tripled in 2015, representing the highest of all Florida's pediatric heart programs.
Hospital officials declined requests for interviews from the Times but did not dispute the investigative report. Officials told the newspaper the hospital stopped all pediatric heart surgeries in October and is reviewing the program.
3. Detroit hospital cited after insects found in ICU
CMS cited Detroit-based DMC Harper University Hospital for several infection control issues, including bugs that were flying around an intensive care unit during a recent inspection. In the medical center's Nov. 21 response to CMS' findings, hospital officials said they had taken numerous actions, including reviewing a sterilization techniques policy, having staff extensively clean the facility and contracting with a pest control company.
4. CMS extends Hastings Hospital's compliance deadline after improper syringe use found
CMS extended Tahlequah, Okla.-based W.W. Hastings Hospital's compliance deadline to Dec. 22 after a July survey found it was out of compliance in infection control, nursing services and medication administration practices. The deadline was extended due to CMS scheduling changes, and hospital officials said they are working with an outside consultant to ensure all noncompliant findings are corrected.
5. New Jersey hospital appoints infection specialist after 4 NICU patients contract bacterial infections
After an October investigation uncovered four Acinetobacter baumannii cases in Newark, N.J.-based University Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, the hospital hired a state-ordered infectious disease specialist to investigate infection control practices.