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Joint Commission requires catheter-related UTI prevention measures
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Oct. 17, 2011
Starting in January 2012, hospitals seeking accreditation with the Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based Joint Commission must follow evidence-based practices to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections. There are about 450,000 such hospital infections annually, the commission said.
As part of the commission's National Patient Safety Goal, hospitals will be required to follow guidelines on inserting and managing indwelling urinary catheters. These include limiting catheter use, employing aseptic techniques for insertion and maintaining the sterility of the urine collection system. Also, hospitals must track prevention processes and outcomes in high-volume areas of their facilities. Joint Commission accreditation is one way for hospitals to meet the conditions for participation in Medicare and Medicaid. More information about the new requirement is available at the commission's website (link).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/10/17/prbf1017.htm.
