government
HHS makes progress on plan to reduce infections
Posted April 30, 2012
The Dept. of Health and Human Services has updated its national plan to eliminate infections associated with health care and is seeking comments on the system’s progress in reducing preventable complications of care.
HHS published the first edition of the action plan in 2009. Federal officials report they have seen a reduction in some hospital-acquired infections since baselines were set between 2009 and 2010. For instance, central-line-associated bloodstream infections have declined by 33%.
“Today, we celebrate the rapid progress achieved through concerted efforts to reduce preventable infections in hospitals,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh, MD, MPH. “Already we are saving lives and reducing unnecessary health care expenditures. Through dedicated and conscientious partnerships, we are well-positioned to make hospitals safer and extend the same gains to all places of care.”
The update to the action plan confirms progress on nine goals. They are:
- 50% reduction in bloodstream infections.
- 100% adherence to central line insertion practices.
- 30% reduction in Clostridium difficile infections.
- 30% reduction in Clostridium difficile hospitalizations.
- 25% reduction in urinary tract infections.
- 50% reduction in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus invasive infections in the general population.
- 25% reduction in MRSA bacteremia.
- 25% reduction in surgical site infections.
- 95% adherence to Surgical Care Improvement Project measures.
The report can be viewed online (link).
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/04/30/gvbf0430.htm.
