The New War on Sepsis
The sepsis program in the St. Joseph Hoang network seems to be working. The death rate for all of its hospitals from 2015-2016 has dropped from 15 percent to 12 percent for severe sepsis/shock, and from 12 percent to 9 percent for all sepsis cases.
CDC Updates SSI Guidelines for the First Time in 18 Years
Between 2006 and 2009, roughly 1.9% of surgical procedures in the United States resulted in SSI complications; however, it’s likely that number is much higher since about 50% of SSIs don’t become evident until after discharge. Estimated costs of SSIs range from $10,443 to $25,546 per infection, although it can cost more than $90,000 to treat an SSI involving a prosthetic joint implant or an antimicrobial-resistant organism.
Handshake-Free Zone: Keep Those Hands – and Germs – to Yourself in the Hospital
Testing a new method for limiting the spread of germs and reducing the transmission of disease in the hospital: a handshake-free zone.
Keeping Fungi at Bay
Some strains of Candida auris (C. auris) fungusre resistant to all three classes of antifungal drugs. Its spores are extremely durable and can survive on skin and surfaces (such as doorknobs and bedrails) for weeks. Fungal infection can cause a gamut of effects, from mild (runny nose) to severe (death).
Selecting the Ideal Healthcare Disinfectant: Balancing Efficacy & Surface Compatibility
In healthcare facilities, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces is essential for reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Surfaces, equipment and medical devices found throughout the environment are prone to contamination with healthcare-associated pathogens, many of which can survive on surfaces for prolonged periods and contribute to transmission.
Q & A: How To Respond To The WHO’s Top 12 Superbugs List
This list is a new tool to ensure R&D responds to urgent public health needs,” said Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO’s assistant director-general for health systems and innovation. Antibiotic resistance is growing, and we are fast running out of treatment options. If we leave it to market forces alone, the new antibiotics we most urgently need are not going to be developed in time.
The Cooperative High Reliability Organization: Approaching a Zero-Defect Culture
How the U.S. Air Force’s new reliability model focusing on task saturation improved antibiotic stewardship and overall value-based care quickly and cost-effectively.
Quick, Cheap, and Effective: Oral Care Makes Serious Dent in Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia Cases
If you work in healthcare, then you’re probably aware that there’s room for improvement. You’re also probably aware of the deluge of strategies, solutions, recommendations, and guidance on enhancing quality and patient safety—all of which require time, money, equipment, metrics, and manpower you may not have.
MRSA Rates Dropped 87% in VA Hospital ICUs
Institutional culture changes over an eight-year period made infection prevention and control “everyone’s business,” researchers say. Active surveillance was a major driver.
Grilled About Deadly Superbug Outbreaks, Execs At Scope Maker Olympus Takes Fifth
Three senior executives at scope maker Olympus Corp., which is under federal investigation for its role in superbug outbreaks, repeatedly invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when questioned recently about internal company emails.