Preventing and Eliminating Infections
Preventing Hospital Acquired Infections
Hospital acquired infections (HAI) may cause a serious problem for patients. While these infections are not always preventable or predictable, steps can be taken to reduce their likelihood. UNMH has set a standard or goal to reduce as much as possible hospital acquired infections.
Eliminating Hospital Acquired Infections
Our goal is to eliminate hospital-associated infections that arise 48 hours or later following admission to the hospital. Infections can cause patients to remain in the hospital for a longer than expected period due to required treatment and management of the infection. In certain severe situations, an infection can cause death. As a result, at UNMH we have implemented rigorous campaign to reduce the chance of acquiring hospital-associated infections.
To reduce the chance of infection, risk reduction programs to decrease infections associated with a hospitalization have been established. These programs are based on recommendations of national agencies. In keeping with the national agenda to make hospitalizations safer for patients, UNMH has the following goals to reduce healthcare associated infections:
- Reduce and eliminate healthcare associated central venous line associated bacteremias (CVLABS) or bloodstream infections
- Reduce and eliminate healthcare associated ventilator associated pneumonias (VAPs)
- Reduce and eliminate surgical site infections (SSIs) associated with a surgical procedure performed in an ambulatory or in-patient setting
- Hand washing and infection reduction
- Reducing infection through enhanced patient knowledge
- Commitment to decrease new and emerging pathogens that impact hospitalized patients such as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)