Nationwide Survey Findings Underscore Challenges, Identify Actions in Addressing Healthcare-Associated Infections.Hospital Professionals Acknowledge HAIs as a Major Patient Safety Concern; State and Federal Reporting Requirements Increase Urgency for Program Enhancements CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Hospital professionals identified tracking infections across the entire hospital, and the control of resistant organisms, as their top challenges related to managing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a survey of over 800 hospital clinicians involved in infection prevention. (To access survey results, please visit www.premierinc.com/quality-safety/tools-services/safety/news/). Survey respondents, which include quality, safety, risk management and infection control professionals representing all sizes of hospitals, also identified measuring compliance with hand hygiene and state mandated public reporting as major challenges. Respondents cited catheter-associated urinary tract infections urinary tract infection (UTI), n infection in one or more of the structures that make up the urinary system. Occurs more often in women and is most commonly caused by bacteria. (49 percent) and pressure ulcers Pressure ulcer Also known as a decubitus ulcer, pressure ulcers are open wounds that form whenever prolonged pressure is applied to skin covering bony outcrops of the body. Patients who are bedridden are at risk of developing pressure ulcers. (30 percent) as the most challenging to prevent among infections identified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), previously known as the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that administers the Medicare program and (CMS (1) See content management system and color management system. (2) (Conversational Monitor System) Software that provides interactive communications for IBM's VM operating system. ) for non-payment in 2008. Under current payment rules, CMS typically pays hospitals more for treating a patient who develops an infection. CMS announced that, beginning October 1, 2008, it will no longer reimburse re·im·burse tr.v. re·im·bursed, re·im·burs·ing, re·im·burs·es 1. To repay (money spent); refund. 2. To pay back or compensate (another party) for money spent or losses incurred. hospitals for treating certain preventable conditions, including errors, injuries and infections that occur in hospitals. "This is an important assessment of what infection control and quality experts see as their greatest clinical challenges in managing hospital-acquired conditions," said Premier Safety Institute Vice President Gina Pugliese. "The Premier healthcare alliance will be using this information to continue working with experts in hospitals on steps and best practices to address all causes of infection." The survey also found inadequate staffing for infection prevention (47 percent) and funding and budget constraints A Budget Constraint represents the combinations of goods and services that a consumer can purchase given current prices and his income. Consumer theory uses the concepts of a budget constraint and a preference ordering to analyze consumer choices. (34 percent) to be the most significant issues their hospitals face in meeting current infection prevention challenges. "This finding underscores that healthcare professionals are dealing with a variety of competing demands in working to prevent healthcare-associated infections," said Blair Childs, Premier's senior vice president of Public Affairs Those public information, command information, and community relations activities directed toward both the external and internal publics with interest in the Department of Defense. Also called PA. See also command information; community relations; public information. . "To date, 26 states have public reporting requirements that are placing new demands on hospitals, the new 'present on admission' coding system Noun 1. coding system - a system of signals used to represent letters or numbers in transmitting messages code - a coding system used for transmitting messages requiring brevity or secrecy mandated by CMS needs to be implemented, and there are new reporting requirements from government and accreditation organizations. These demands are complicating what is already a significant task of monitoring and preventing HAIs." Hospitals taking strides to improve Hospitals are clearly turning to technology as a way to manage these demands. More than 22 percent of respondents currently utilize an automated surveillance system, up from 13 percent in February. An additional 47 percent of respondents are actively considering implementing this technology, shown to make surveillance more efficient and to free up time for prevention activities. "More and more hospitals are starting to use automated surveillance systems to accomplish timely and efficient tracking of HAIs across the entire patient population," said Dan Peterson Dan Peterson (Born January 9,1936, in Evanston, Illinois, Illinois) is a former head coach of professional basketball in Europe. He is currently employed as an analyst of NBA basketball for Sportitalia. , M.D., M.P.H., medical advisor for Premier. "Such systems are also key to meeting the ever increasing regulatory, reporting, and accreditation requirements around infection prevention." Respondent quotes: "Collecting data and reporting HAIs for public reporting takes the time of infection control professionals who should be working on prevention for the majority of their time." "Once again, legislation has taken nurses further away from actual patient care and safety." "We recognize that public reporting may increase surveillance time but could decrease the ability of infection control staff to focus on prevention measures unless additional full time employee support is provided." "Focus of the infection control program should be on prevention and not just counting infections." About Premier Inc., 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is given by the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology. Through the actions of the National Productivity Advisory Committee chaired by Jack Grayson, it was established by the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality recipient Serving 1,700 hospitals and more than 48,500 other healthcare sites, Premier is the largest healthcare alliance in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. dedicated to improving patient outcomes while safely reducing the cost of care. Owned by not-for-profit hospitals, Premier operates one of the nation's largest healthcare purchasing networks, the most comprehensive repository of hospital clinical and financial information and one of the largest policy-holder owned, hospital professional liability risk-retention groups in healthcare. Headquartered in San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. , Premier has offices in Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia, and Washington. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com. |
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