Infection Prevention

This committee is working to develop a collaborative approach to implement the Institute for Healthcare Improvement 100,000 lives campaign to reduce surgical site Infections and/or catheter-related bloodstream infections

Goal to reduce Surgical Site Infections

Reduce surgical site infections (SSI) by implementing four components of care:

    1. Appropriate use of antibiotics;

    2. Appropriate hair removal;

    3. Maintenance of perioperative glucose control: and

    4. Maintenance of perioperative normothermia* for colorectal surgery patients.

       * This component of care is supported by clinical trials and experimental evidence in the specified populations; they may prove valuable for other surgical patients as well.

The Case for Preventing Surgical Site Infections

Surgical site infections are the second most common type of adverse events occurring in hospitalized patients (Brennan. N Engl J Med . 1991;324:370-376).  Surgical site infections have been shown to increase mortality, readmission rate, length of stay, and cost for patients who incur them. ( Kirkland . Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 1999;20:725). While nationally the rate of surgical site infection averages between two and three percent for clean cases, an estimated 40 to 60 percent of these infections are preventable.  A review of the medical literature shows that there are a set of processes that affect the incidence of surgical site infection: appropriate use of antibiotics; appropriate hair removal; maintenance of perioperative glucose control; and maintenance of perioperative normothermia. These processes, if optimized, could be expected to drastically reduce the risk of surgical site infection result in the nearly complete elimination of preventable surgical site infection.

Goal: Preventing Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections

Prevent catheter-related bloodstream infections by implementing the five components of care called the "central line bundle."

The Case for Preventing Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are being used increasingly in the inpatient and outpatient setting to provide long-term venous access. CVCs disrupt the integrity of the skin, making infection with bacteria and/or fungi possible.  Infection may spread to the bloodstream and hemodynamic changes and organ dysfunction (severe sepsis) may ensue, possibly leading to death.  Approximately 90% of the catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSIs) occur with CVCs.