/UMMC washes away alarmingly high number of hospital infections

UMMC washes away alarmingly high number of hospital infections

The unit had 18 bloodstream infections associated with the central line. These infections are transmitted directly via an IV or drip. They are inserted into the veins and given to sick babies who need food and medication. The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit that reviews annual safety scores of hospitals across the United States, gave the medical center an F-rating last season. Hand washing and sanitary foaming are simple solutions to the problem. UMMC’s new hand washing regimen is based on the Targeted Solutions Tool, a unique application that helps healthcare providers overcome specific barriers in their facilities. Targeted Solutions Tool data shows that at least 130 hospital-acquired infections can be avoided, which will reduce the hospital’s mortality rate and save the hospital at least $2.3million in direct medical expenses. Henderson says that hand hygiene is not as easy to practice but it is simple to say. Henderson says that the center placed additional hand hygiene posters and foaming stations in common and clinical areas to remind patients and staff of their responsibility in reducing infections. Lisa Lathem from UMMC, the director of infection prevention, tells them to sing a song such as Mary Had a Little Lamb when they wash their hands. Lathem says that after they have dried, they should use the paper towel to avoid getting in contact with the faucet handle. A coaching program called Just in Time is used at the medical center. This allows colleagues to privately remind each other to wash their hands. A rotating group of 30 employees monitors the hand hygiene of their colleagues during patient interactions every Tuesday. Those employees then report compliance numbers to UMMC, which are shared on the intranet data system. This allows for improvement. In August, 71% of front-line caregivers observed following the established hand hygiene regimen, an increase of 17 percent from last year. The goal for 2016 is to achieve 80 percent. The neonatal intensive unit was able to go 215 days without any central line-associated bloodstream infection earlier this year. Henderson says, “Reality is that we are better than we were one year ago, but we still have a lot to do.”