CDC: Health care-associated infections declined in 2017
Acute-care hospitals reduced Clostridium difficile infections by 13 percent and central line-associated bloodstream infections by 9 percent in 2017, according to the latest on reducing health care-associated infections from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospitals also reduced methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infections by 8 percent, catheter-associated urinary tract infections by 5 percent, and ventilator-associated events by 3 percent in 2017, among other improvements. The AHA’s Health Research & Educational Trust affiliate has worked with to reduce CLABSI, CAUTI, C difficile and MRSA infections in targeted acute-care hospitals. HRET also has worked with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Comprehensive Unit Based Safety Program to prevent and infections, and with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ to reduce hospital-acquired conditions.