Study Reveals Impact of CMS Payment Adjustment for HAIs

Researchers sought to determine the impact of CMS' new payment policy for preventable healthcare-associated infections and found it has led to widespread changes in the healthcare industry, according to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control.

Researchers conducted a national survey of infection preventionists from a random sample of US hospitals in December 2010. Here are key findings from that survey:

•    Eighty-one percent reported paying increased attention to targeted healthcare-associated infections under the CMS policy.
•    One-third reported paying less attention to non-targeted infections under the CMS policy.
•    Seventy-seven percent of respondents saw stable funding for infection control.

 


•    Many respondents reported faster removal of urinary (71 percent) and central venous (50 percent) catheters.
•    Resource shifting occurred more frequently in large hospitals.

Researchers concluded the CMS payment policy has led to practice changes for targeted healthcare-associated infections, though the impact of the increased focus on actual outcomes has yet to be determined.

Related Articles on Infections:

Rhode Island Hospital Dramatically Increases Hand Washing Compliance Through Unique Campaign, Other Efforts

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16 Statistics on the State of Healthcare Quality

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