Since opening in December 2021, there has not been a single hospital-acquired infection at Mon Health Marion Neighborhood Hospital in White Hall, W. Va..
"Achieving over 600 days without a hospital acquired infection is no small task," Alison Gwynne, infection preventionist at the hospital, said in an Aug. 23 news release. "It takes the whole team, from the moment that a patient is admitted, to recognizing symptoms, early testing, and communication to have this success."
The facility is a small rural hospital with a 24-hour emergency department and 10 inpatient beds.
HAIs were on the rise amid the pandemic after years of steady decline. Data from The Leapfrog Group released earlier this year showed a significant rise in infections from late 2021 into 2022, with some hitting the highest rates in five years. Over the past year, hospitals have poured renewed efforts and attention on infection control and prevention practices.