The Leading Business Education Network for Doctors, Financial Advisors and Health Industry Consultants

Healthcare Associated Infections [HAIs]

36 Responses

1. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on August 3, 2011 at 12:09 AM said:

   Introducing the Safe Surgery Initiative

   This new website is home to a collection of tools and resources used to help raise awareness, increase knowledge, and change behavior related to the prevention of surgical site infection (SSI), a major source of preventable postoperative illness.

   An introductory video message from my colleague David Nash, MD MBA, Dean of the Jefferson School of Population Health on the campus of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, is included.

   https://www.jjhcsfoundations.com/?quality-safety/login.html

   Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
   [Editor-in-Chief]

   LikeLike
2. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on August 17, 2011 at 2:59 PM said:

   Checklist prompts low infection rates at Dartmouth-Hitchcock

   Healthcare-acquired infection (HAI) rates at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) were below national averages, according to a New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services report.

   So, how did they do it? Through a statewide patient safety checklist!

   http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/checklist-prompts-low-infection-rates-dartmouth-hitchcock/2011-08-09?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal

   Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
   [Editor-in-Chief]

   LikeLike
3. Hayward, on August 23, 2011 at 9:34 PM said:

   Statewide infection rates drop with insurance pressure

   With Medicare dollars at stake, healthcare facilities are trying to reduce–and eventually eliminate–healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

   For example, hospitals in California have found relative success through a three-year initiative that involves 160 hospitals across the state, reports the Los Angeles Times.

   http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hospital-infections-20110823,0,1452290.story

   Hayward

   LikeLike
4. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on August 25, 2011 at 11:34 PM said:

   Safety checklists offer tenfold return on investment

   Using a hospital safety checklist to reduce lethal bloodstream infections in hospital intensive-care units (ICUs) not only saves lives but also thousands of dollars, according to new Johns Hopkins research.

   http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/press-releases/program-reduces-infections-saves-lives-and-money?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal

   Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
   http://www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com

   LikeLike
5. Kathy, on September 1, 2011 at 10:12 AM said:

   Hospital garb harbors nasty bacteria, new study says

   Sixrt percent [60%] of uniforms tested positive. Should workers wear duds outside?

   http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44334682/ns/health-infectious_diseases/

   Kathy

   LikeLike
6. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on September 2, 2011 at 10:38 AM said:

   Nothing new to report here, folks!

   Kathy – Relative to the above comment – these clothes, uniforms, surgical scrubs or ties are called fomites.

   According to Wikipedia: A fomite is any inanimate object or substance capable of carrying infectious organisms (such as germs or parasites) and hence transferring them from one individual to another. A fomite can be anything (such as a cloth or mop head). Skin cells, hair, clothing, and bedding are common hospital sources of contamination.

   Fomites are associated particularly with hospital acquired infections (HAI), as they are possible routes to pass pathogens between patients. Stethoscopes and neckties are two such fomites associated with health care providers. Basic hospital equipment, such as IV drip tubes, catheters, and life support equipment can also be carriers, when the pathogens form biofilms on the surfaces. Careful sterilization of such objects prevents cross-infection.

   Researchers have discovered that smooth (non-porous) surfaces (e.g. door knobs) transmit bacteria and viruses better than porous materials (e.g. paper money).The reason is that porous, especially fibrous, materials absorb and trap the contagion, making it harder to contract through simple touch.

   Nevertheless, I believe we should not take, or wear, such fomites outside the hospital; both to protect patients and the community at-large.

   Still, most HAIs are avoidable and should rightly be considered “never-events”.

   Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
   http://www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com

   LikeLike
7. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on September 3, 2011 at 11:40 AM said:

   Doctors are just filthy, Huh!

   This topic is a pet peeve of mine. So, here is some more information from Aaron Carroll and my colleague Austin Frakt PhD, over at the “Incidental Economist”, blog.

   http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/doctors-are-just-filthy-huh/

   The essay contains a good historical review from the CDC, as well.

   Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
   http://www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com

   LikeLike
8. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on September 6, 2011 at 3:50 PM said:

   Is It Time To Ditch The White Coats?

   A recent study suggests that doctors might want to hang up their iconic white coats and long sleeves to prevent the spread of dangerous bacteria.

   Why? Dr. Yonit Weiner-Well and his colleagues sampled uniforms of 135 physicians and nurses at the Hebrew-University-Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem. They found that overall 60 percent had disease-causing bacteria, including some that were resistant to antibiotics.

   The study, which was published in the most recent issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, also reports that there was very little difference in the amount of bacteria found on the uniforms of physicians and nurses.

   http://www.ajicjournal.org/

   Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA

   LikeLike
9. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on September 14, 2011 at 3:40 PM said:

   [Antibiotic] Resistance Is Futile

   Megan McArdle’s new article on antibiotic resistance was just published in The Atlantic (Resistance is Futile). She correctly identifies the problem as a market failure.

   Antibiotics are an exhaustible resource. We should be treating them like an oil field, or an endangered species. Instead, we handle them like consumer electronics. And, the patent system is designed to promote human invention, not conserve what has already been discovered.

   So, I fear we won’t stop the rising tide of infections until we develop a new business model to fight them.

   http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/10/resistance-is-futile/8647/

   Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
   http://www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com

   LikeLike
10. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on September 15, 2011 at 1:17 PM said:

    Cubist Pharmaceuticals is developing a new drug to combat a

    “difficult-to-treat family of bacteria, called gram-negatives, that are developing resistance to existing medicines and spreading among hospital patients”

    writes Bloomberg, here:
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-15/resistant-bacteria-neglected-by-drugmakers-give-cubist-2-billion-market.html

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA

    LikeLike
11. Hope Rachel Hetico RN MHA, on September 17, 2011 at 7:37 PM said:

    Wash ‘Em – Hand Hygiene Music Video

    At Jefferson University Hospitals, they take preventing infections seriously. For example, their latest effort to boost hand washing is a video they created called “Wash ‘Em.”

    Watch their staff dance around the Hospital while showing the importance of hand washing. You’ll be singing their song all day!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmMGwO4N0Vc

    Source: Josh Goldstein
    http://www.jeffersonhospital.org/The-Daily-Dose/2011/September/hand-washing-other-practices-prevent-infections.aspx

    LikeLike
12. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA CMP™, on September 25, 2011 at 7:21 PM said:

    Visualizing Antibiotic Resistance with a New Online Tool

    The problem of antibiotic resistance tends to reach public consciousness in a scattershot manner — when ground turkey is recalled because it’s tainted with salmonella that can’t be treated by common drugs, for example.

    But it’s hard to get a comprehensive picture of the extent to which certain infections have become impervious to treatment. So, check out this new online tool.

    http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2011/09/21/visualizing-antibiotic-resistance-with-a-new-online-tool/

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA CMP™
    [Editor-in-Chief]
    http://www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com

    LikeLike
13. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on October 26, 2011 at 11:05 AM said:

    Is the Famed Cleveland Clinic Experiencing Sour Grapes?

    In a controversial turn in patient safety reporting, Cleveland Clinic, along with Henry Ford in Detroit and Parkview Health in Indiana, have stopped reporting hospital-acquired infection (HAI) rates to The Leapfrog Group, which examines national hospital standards of safety, quality, and efficiency, reported the Consumer Reports recently.

    • http://www.consumerreports.org/health/doctors-hospitals/hospital-infection/deadly-infections-hospitals-can-lower-the-danger/overview/deadly-infections-hospitals-can-lower-the-danger.htm

    • http://www.consumerreports.org/health/doctors-hospitals/hospital-ratings.htm

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Founder and CEO]

    LikeLike
14. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on November 8, 2011 at 5:03 PM said:

    Hospital Infection Rates Decreasing

    There is good news on the subject of hospital acquired infections –new CDC data shows a significant decline in rates. CDC reported for 2010:

    • A 33 percent reduction in central line-associated bloodstream infections: a 35 percent reduction among critical care patients and a 26 percent reduction among non-critical care patients. A central line is a tube that is placed in a large vein of a patient’s neck or chest to give important medical treatment. When not put in correctly or kept clean, central lines can become a freeway for germs to enter the body and cause serious bloodstream infections.

    • A 7 percent reduction in catheter-associated urinary tract infections throughout hospitals

    • A 10 percent reduction in surgical site infections

    • An 18 percent reduction in the number of people developing health care-associated invasive methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections

    http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/p1019_healthcare_infections.html

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Founder and CEO]

    LikeLike
15. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on November 9, 2011 at 5:21 PM said:

    Wearing Gloves Does Not Prevent Spread of Germs

    A new study of hand hygiene in hospitals found that wearing latex gloves makes health care workers less likely to clean their hands before and after treating patients.

    The finding is concerning, researchers say, because germs can travel through latex gloves, and because they’re often worn when doctors work with bodily fluids and the sickest, most infectious patients. Taking off latex gloves can also cause a “back spray” effect, in which fluids and germs are snapped back onto the wearer’s hands.

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/08/gloves-are-no-guarantee-your-doctors-hands-are-clean/?ref=health

    As a result, doctors and nurses who don’t wash up after using latex gloves can spread infections through contaminated hands.

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Editor-in-Chief]

    LikeLike
16. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on January 27, 2012 at 11:17 PM said:

    Confused hospitals underreport infections

    According to Alicia Caramenico, despite reports that catheter infection rates are nearly 50 percent lower than the national average, California public health officials are investigating whether the reports accurately reveal the infections occurring at hospitals, reported the North County Times.

    The probe even demonstrates a larger trend, as hospital infection reports are under scrutiny in Colorado and Connecticut, among other states.

    http://www.nctimes.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health-state-hospital-infection-rates-look-low-but-may-not/article_67696952-2c3a-529b-8216-9abace395b8e.html

    A pet peeve of mine.

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Editor-in-Chief]

    LikeLike
17. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on February 14, 2012 at 1:27 PM said:

    Infection rate too high in seven Georgia hospitals

    According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, seven Georgia hospitals, including four in metro Atlanta, scored worse than the national benchmark for cases of potentially deadly bloodstream infections.

    Emory Midtown, Northside Hospital, Piedmont Henry Hospital and Southern Regional Medical Center all performed worse than their peers for rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care units, according to new data released by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

    http://www.ajc.com/news/infection-rate-too-high-1348882.html

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Editor-in-Chief]

    LikeLike
18. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on February 22, 2012 at 11:25 AM said:

    The Infection Game?

    Sepsis [infections] are no laughing matter–but a new tool [Game] aims to at least make learning about the dangers of infection a little more pleasant for docs.

    http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2012/february/septris.html

    I am not so sure, at all, about this. ME-P readers, please opine?

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Publisher-in-Chief]

    LikeLike
19. Laura, on March 1, 2012 at 11:41 AM said:

    Healthcare-acquired infections down but still a problem

    Dr. Marcinko, inpatient infection rates are down, but there is still more work to be done.

    In a report just released, the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council said 21,319 of the 1.89 million patients admitted to Pennsylvania hospitals in 2010 acquired an infection. That is a rate of 1.13 percent, down from 1.20 percent the previous year.

    Click to access hai2010report.pdf

    Laura
    Infection Control Nurse

    LikeLike
20. Andrea, on April 11, 2012 at 10:16 PM said:

    Dr. Marcinko

    In light of a March study from the CDC about the growing death rate from C. difficile, I thought you’d be interested in this report.

    http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6109a3.htm

    Hope you find it of interest.

    Andrea

    LikeLike
21. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on April 17, 2012 at 9:48 AM said:

    Hospital-acquired infections quadruple ICU deaths

    An analysis of a U.S. hospital database found that in-hospital mortality is four times higher in patients with a hospital-acquired infection (HAI) than in those without.

    http://registration.akm.ch/einsicht.php?XNABSTRACT_ID=142676&XNSPRACHE_ID=2&XNKONGRESS_ID=161&XNMASKEN_ID=900

    Moreover, the length of stay in the ICU doubled for infected patients, up from a mean of 8.1 days to 15.8 days.

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Editor-in-Chief]

    LikeLike
22. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on May 10, 2012 at 9:43 PM said:

    1:6 Cancer Deaths Caused by Preventable Infections

    One in every six cancer deaths worldwide is caused by preventable infections, a total of 1.5 million deaths yearly that could be halted by widespread vaccination programs, researchers just reported recently.

    http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-infections-cancer-20120509,0,4395656.story

    And, since 1990, that number has grown by about half a million, suggesting that vaccination programs are losing ground in the battle rather than gaining it.

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Editor-in-Chief]

    LikeLike
23. Hope Rachel Hetico RN MHA, on May 29, 2012 at 2:21 PM said:

    SafeHand touchscreen tech tracks doc handwashing
    

    Doctors and nurses love their iPads, swishing and tapping on touchscreens all day.

    So, now there’s a new technology that turns patients effectively into a touchscreen themselves, capable of detecting exactly when a clinician has made physical contact with a patient–and whether they’ve washed their hands before doing so.

    http://www.ereleases.com/pr/apples-ipad-touch-technology-save-50000-lives-78684

    Hope Rachel Hetico RN MHA

    LikeLike
24. Hope Rachel Hetico RN MHA, on June 7, 2012 at 10:16 AM said:

    HAIs

    Hospitals are beefing up hygiene amid growing recognition that drug-resistant organisms can lurk on the most common surfaces, as the WSJ’s Informed Patient column reports.

    http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2012/06/05/hospitals-zero-in-on-drug-resistant-infections-as-pressure-builds/?mod=WSJBlog
    
    Hope Rachel Hetico RN MHA

    LikeLike
25. Ann Miller RN MHA, on August 4, 2012 at 2:15 PM said:

    Nurse Burnout and Infection Rates Linked

    A new study shows a link between nurse burnout and health care-acquired infections. Researchers suggest that hospitals can “alleviate job-related burnout in nurses at a much lower cost than those associated with health care-associated infections.”

    http://www.hhnmag.com/hhnmag/HHNDaily/HHNDailyDisplay.dhtml?id=9650009405

    Ann Miller RN MHA

    LikeLike
26. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on October 14, 2012 at 1:34 PM said:

    Infections

    Four years after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services discontinued payments for preventable hospital-acquired conditions (HACs), new research finds that the policy had no effect on curbing infections, just published by The New England Journal of Medicine.

    http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1202419?query=featured_home

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Editor-in-Chief]

    LikeLike
27. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on October 30, 2012 at 8:15 PM said:

    How Leadership and Culture Can Prevent Infections

    According to Deborah Bohr, promising results from Comprehensive Unit-Based Safety Programs are showing that with leadership engagement and promotion of a genuine safety culture, deadly central-line associated bloodstream infections are preventable.

    http://www.hhnmag.com/hhnmag/HHNDaily/HHNDailyDisplay.dhtml?id=033000904

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Editor-in-Chief]

    LikeLike
28. Hope Rachel Hetico RN MHA, on December 3, 2012 at 7:58 PM said:

    Wash your Hands

    As a kick off to National Handwashing Awareness Week, this essay profiles a hospital that increased hand hygiene compliance in its ICU from less than 10 percent to more than 80 percent in roughly four weeks.

    http://www.hhnmag.com/hhnmag/HHNDaily/HHNDailyDisplay.dhtml?id=2460009406

    The unit has sustained those scores for more than two-and-a-half years.

    Hope Rachel Hetico RN MHA

    LikeLike
29. Ann Miller RN MHA, on December 10, 2012 at 4:31 PM said:

    Surgeon infects Patients

    Five heart patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center are reported to have contracted staph infections after a doctor operated on them with bacteria on his hands.

    http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/10/15818069-surgeons-infected-hands-led-to-hospital-staph-outbreak?lite=

    Ann Miller RN MHA

    LikeLike
30. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on September 7, 2013 at 1:01 PM said:

    Preventable hospital infections cost $9.8 billion a year in US
    [New Study]

    A new study has found that the national cost of five common and preventable health care-associated infections is $9.8 billion annually

    http://www.healthpolicyreview.org/daily_review/2013/09/study-preventable-hospital-infections-cost-98-billion-a-year-in-us.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Fhealthpolicyreview+%28Ohio+Health+Policy+Review%29

    (Source: “Infections costing hospitals, patients,” Columbus Dispatch, Sept. 4, 2013).

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Editor-in-Chief]

    LikeLike
31. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, on October 2, 2013 at 7:46 PM said:

    “Doc, have you washed your hands?”

    It’s a simple enough request, but for patients and families who feel vulnerable, scared or uncomfortable in a hospital room, the subject can be too intimidating to even bring up with a doctor or nurse: Have you washed your hands?

    Why? Infections associated with hand hygiene affect more than one million patients and are linked to nearly 100,000 deaths a year, according to the CDC.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303918804579107202360565642.html?utm_source=Copy+of+9.30.13&utm_campaign=11713&utm_medium=email

    But now, hospitals are encouraging patients to be more assertive, amid growing concern about infections that are resistant to antibiotics.

    This has been a pet peeve of mine for three decades.

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA
    [Editor-in-Chief]

    LikeLike
32. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA CMP™, on February 28, 2014 at 5:33 PM said:

    Stethoscope Dirtier Than Doctor’s Hands

    It turns out stethoscopes can carry even more bacteria than most parts of physicians’ hands, according to a new study from the University of Geneva.

    http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2014/02/28/how-germy-is-your-doctors-stethoscope/?utm_source=2.28.14&utm_campaign=11713&utm_medium=email

    The results were published Thursday in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, but there is nothing new here. All these things like ties, paper charts, shoes, briefcases etc., are called FOMITES.

    Germ transporters; all.

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA CMP™
    [Editor-in-Chief]

    FROM WIKIPEDIA:

    A fomes (pronounced /ˈfoʊmiːz/) or fomite (/ˈfoʊmaɪt/) is any object or substance capable of carrying infectious organisms, such as germs or parasites, and hence transferring them from one individual to another. Skin cells, hair, clothing, and bedding are common hospital sources of contamination.

    Fomites are associated particularly with hospital acquired infections (HAI), as they are possible routes to pass pathogens between patients. Stethoscopes and neckties are two such fomites associated with health care providers. Basic hospital equipment, such as IV drip tubes, catheters, and life support equipment can also be carriers, when the pathogens form biofilms on the surfaces. Careful sterilization of such objects prevents cross-infection.

    Researchers have discovered that smooth (non-porous) surfaces (e.g. door knobs) transmit bacteria and viruses better than porous materials (e.g. paper money).

    LikeLike
33. Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA CMP™, on March 27, 2014 at 12:16 PM said:

    One in 25 Infected in U.S. Hospitals

    According to Maggie Fox and others, one in 25 U.S. hospital patients has caught an infection while in the hospital, according to new federal data just released.

    http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-care/one-25-infected-u-s-hospitals-report-finds-n62776

    http://news.msn.com/us/hospital-infections-kill-200-daily-in-us

    Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA CMP™
    [Editor-in-Chief]

    LikeLike
34. Ann Miller RN MHA, on December 24, 2014 at 1:21 AM said:

    Medicare Cuts Payments to 721 Hospitals With Highest Rates of Infections, Injuries

    In its toughest crackdown yet on medical errors, the federal government is cutting payments to 721 hospitals for having high rates of infections and other patient injuries, records released Thursday show. One out of every seven hospitals in the nation will have their Medicare payments lowered by 1 percent over the fiscal year that began October 1 and continues through September 2015. The health law mandates the reductions for the quarter of hospitals that Medicare assessed as having the highest rates of “hospital-acquired conditions,” or HACs. These conditions include infections from catheters, blood clots, bed sores, and other complications that are considered avoidable.

    The penalties, which are estimated to total $373 million, are falling particularly hard on academic medical centers: Roughly half of them will be punished, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis. The new penalties are harsher than any prior government effort to reduce patient harm. Since 2008, Medicare has refused to pay hospitals for the cost of treating patients who suffer avoidable complications.

    Source: Jordan Rau
    Medscape News [12/22/14]

    LikeLike
35. Janice, on October 1, 2015 at 5:52 PM said:

    Hospitals you might want to avoid?

    http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/12-hospitals-you-might-want-to-avoid/ar-AAeXlwv?li=AAa0dzB&ocid=U348DHP

    Or – at least check out.

    Janice

    LikeLike
36. Ann Miller RN MHA, on March 28, 2019 at 6:11 PM said:

    Hospital-Associated Sepsis Cost $70,000 Per Case in 2018

    Premier, Inc. recently released an analysis on hospital-associated sepsis. Here are some key findings from the report:

    • 1.7 million adults in America are impacted by sepsis each year.
    • Sepsis accounts for more than $24 billion in annual hospital costs.
    • 92.5% of those diagnosed with sepsis develop the infection in the community.
    • Average cost for present-on-admission sepsis cases is $22,000 per case.
    • Cost for hospital-acquired sepsis rose 20% ($58,000 in 2015 to $70,000 in 2018).

    Source: Premier, Inc., March 21, 2019

    LikeLike