Health care-associated infections decreased in 2011

Paul J. Malpiedi, M.P.H., and colleagues from the CDC in Atlanta, examined data from HAI surveillance presented to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) during 2011 for facilities across all 50 states; Washington, D.C.; and Puerto Rico.

According to the report, during 2011, the health care facilities reporting to the NHSN reported 41 percent fewer (since 2008) central line-associated bloodstream infections than predicted based on case-mix of patients and the location of monitoring (32 percent reduction in standardized infection ratio for 2010); 7 percent fewer catheter-associated urinary tract infections since 2009; and 17 percent fewer surgical site infections since 2008. In 2011, an estimated 12,400 central line-associated bloodstream infections occurred among critical care patients, at a cost of $26,000 per infection; and an estimated 52,567 superficial incisional, deep incisional, or organ/space surgical site infections occurred.

"Reductions in some of the deadliest health care-associated infections are encouraging, especially when you consider the costs to both patients and the health care system," CDC director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., said in a statement. "This report also suggests that hospitals need to increase their efforts to track these infections and implement control strategies that we know work."

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