Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Ill., reported it cut its total hospital-acquired infection rate by more than half over the past three years.
Blessing Hospital also reported zero infections resulted from 105 knee replacement and 90 hip replacement surgeries performed in 2011. Hospital-based infections in 2011 totaled 105 cases out of more than 400,000 patient encounters, falling from 230 cases out of 335,000 patient encounters in 2008.
Among Blessing Hospital's infection prevention efforts are increased infection control staff, adoption of evidence-based practices and installation of hundreds of foam soap containers around the hospital campus.
In separate news, Blessing Hospital's infection control coordinator Carleen Orton was recently recertified in infection control and epidemiology by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology. Ms. Orton first achieved CIC after becoming Blessing's infection control coordinator in 1996.
Blessing Hospital also reported zero infections resulted from 105 knee replacement and 90 hip replacement surgeries performed in 2011. Hospital-based infections in 2011 totaled 105 cases out of more than 400,000 patient encounters, falling from 230 cases out of 335,000 patient encounters in 2008.
Among Blessing Hospital's infection prevention efforts are increased infection control staff, adoption of evidence-based practices and installation of hundreds of foam soap containers around the hospital campus.
In separate news, Blessing Hospital's infection control coordinator Carleen Orton was recently recertified in infection control and epidemiology by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology. Ms. Orton first achieved CIC after becoming Blessing's infection control coordinator in 1996.
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