Hospital units lauded for zero infection rates in 2016

On any given day, about 1 in 25 hospital patients will have a healthcare-associated infection or HAI. Not only are these infections costly, but they can be deadly, so it’s vital that hospitals do all they can to protect patients and help prevent these illnesses. What’s more, reducing infections improves quality and safety, thereby boosting the hospital’s reputation and rankings.

To that end, AU Medical Center established a Gold Medal Awards program in 2014 to recognize hospital units for eliminating some of the most common infections that happen in the health care setting. The most recent winners were recognized by hospital leaders in late April with framed awards and cookies.

Congratulations to the following units – 6 South, IMC and ICC; 7 West, L&D and Post-Partum; and 8 South – for earning Gold Medal Awards for posting both zero catheter-associated urinary tract infections and zero central line-associated bloodstream infections during calendar year 2016. That’s 365 days without either a CLABSI or CAUTI, according to Dr. Kevin Dellsperger, chief medical officer, who helped present the awards.

Five other units recorded zero CAUTIs: fourth floor (4C), fifth floor (5C) and pediatric intermittent care units (PIMCU) at Children’s Hospital of Georgia; and the sixth-floor telemetry and 5 Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) units at AUMC. Award winners for zero CLABSIs in 2016 are 5 West and the sixth-floor cardiac care unit (CCU). Also, the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) had zero ventilator-associated pneumonia infections in CY2016.

Hospital Epidemiology evaluates all infections based on National Healthcare Safety Network guidelines.

“We salute all of these units for doing their best to protect our patients from these infections,” said CEO Lee Ann Liska. “We are proud of the work our employees are doing to improve patient quality and safety.”