While substantial progress has been made in recent years to reduce the rate of hospital-associated infections, there is much work yet to be done. Approximately 1 in 25 patients may experience at least one HAI on any given day, according to the CDC. With the significant rates of infection and the continuous rise of antibiotic resistance, healthcare practices must be diligent in organizational efforts to reduce the risk of HAIs in their facilities.
The fiscal incentives for reducing HAIs are significant. A 2015 study found Clostridium difficile infections increased hospital costs by 40 percent per instance of infection and also increased the patient's risk for readmission. Under the ACA's Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, Medicare reduced payments for 758 hospitals with high rates of hospital-acquired conditions for fiscal year 2016.
To facilitate HAI reduction, healthcare organizations must look at the problem from all angles, including care bundles, patient acuity, hand hygiene compliance, antibiotic stewardship, fecal waste management and environmental disinfection.
During a September 15 webinar sponsored by Sealed Air Diversey Care, Jim Gauthier, senior clinical advisor, infection prevention, with Sealed Air Diversey Care, will lead a discussion aimed at identifying the multiple factors that can influence HAI risk, evaluating if current practices are comprehensive enough to address these risks and ultimately creating a successful formula to improve compliance and reduce HAIs.
To learn more and register for the webinar, click here.
More articles on infection control:
Early antibiotic exposure linked to food allergies in children
Nearly 60 suspected cases of mumps in Arkansas outbreak
Translational Genomics Research Institute validates new HAI screening tool