Q&A: Supporting the Survivors of Sepsis
Sepsis is the number one driver of hospital costs in the United States and—according to the CDC—accounts for more than one-third of hospital deaths and more than $24 billion in hospital expenses. Sepsis is the most expensive all-payer condition in the United States.
A Winning Strategy to Improve Hand Hygiene
By: Megan J. DiGiorgio & Lori Moore With all of the emphasis on hand hygiene and HAI reduction, it would seem that healthcare workers (HCW) would know how and when they should perform hand hygiene. But, this assumption couldn’t be farther from the truth. HCWs can probably list a few or most of the indications … Continued
Not Every Summer Illness Is COVID-19: Decision Support Tools Can Play Key Role in Diagnosis
With the help of decision support tools, clinicians can differentiate between vector-borne diseases during a season where more people are at risk. A decision support system uses two or more items of patient data to generate case-specific advice. In practical terms, the output of such systems is used to arrive at a specific diagnosis.
Coronavirus: 7 Infection Prevention Best Practices for Healthcare Settings
The coronavirus—which emerged from Wuhan, China, last December—initially posed many infection prevention challenges. How was the virus transmitted to humans? How virulent was the germ? How could healthcare workers be protected from getting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?
Study: Using Bed Barriers Cuts Down on C. diff
The study, conducted by researchers at Xavier University in Cincinnati and Bon Secours Mercy Health Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital in Kentucky, achieved an almost 60% decrease in infections, which is double the nationwide reduction goal established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Improving Antibiotic Stewardship at Urgent Care Centers
As care continues its move deeper into communities and away from traditional medical campuses, urgent care centers are exploding in growth. In 2018, there were 8,100 urgent care centers, up nearly 27% from 2014, according to Consumer Reports. Those centers see an estimated 160 million patient visits each year, according to the Urgent Care Association.
Study: Low-Temperature Sterilization of Medical Tools is Problematic
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tested the effectiveness of three low-temperature technologies, often used for plastic tools, against steam sterilization by simulating the impact of proteins and salts left on tools before sterilization.
New Data on Sepsis Prevalence and Costs ‘Astonished’ DHHS Researchers
Sepsis is diagnosed in at least 1.7 million adults annually in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 270,000 Americans die from sepsis every year, and 1 in 3 patients who die in hospitals are diagnosed with sepsis, the CDC says.
Vitamin and Steroid Treatment for Sepsis Fails in Major Study
Currently, the only treatment option for sepsis is an aggressive regimen of antibiotics. However, this is only partially effective, and even an hour delay in antibiotics increases the odds of mortality by 10%.
Study: Staff Will Work Through Illness Despite Sick Policy
Researchers conducted active surveillance from December 2015 through April 2016 for respiratory viral infections among residents and healthcare providers at a 120-bed long-term care facility in the St. Louis area.