Medicaid-Covered C-sections Pose Higher Risk of Infection
Researchers found that women who delivered via C-section and were covered by Medicaid had a 1.4-fold increase in infections compared to those covered by private insurance.
Case Study: Automating Sepsis Alerts at Harborview Medical Center
Sepsis mortality rates increase quickly when the condition is left untreated, even for just a few hours. However, there isn’t a simple test for sepsis. Instead, providers have to watch for patterns and symptoms that could indicate sepsis. As a result, it’s common to have misdiagnoses or delays in diagnosis.
Doing More Harm Than Good? Study Finds Healthcare Workers Often Provide Care While Ill
The study found that 95% of healthcare workers have worked while sick, most often because the symptoms were mild or began during their work shift.
Medical Center’s Four-Pronged Effort Reduced C. Diff Infections by 55%
In the hospital setting, there are multiple contributing factors that can drive C. diff infections. The lead author of the recent research, which was published in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, said the main drivers of C. diff infections are likely to vary from hospital to hospital.
APIC Honors Members With Service Awards
The APIC conference aims to provide infection preventionists, physicians, researchers, epidemiologists, educators, administrators, and medical technologists with strategies that can be implemented immediately to improve prevention programs and make healthcare safer.
Antibiotics Delay in Treatment of ER Sepsis Patients Linked to Increased Mortality
The recent research published in CHEST associated each additional hour from emergency room arrival to antibiotic administration to 10% increased odds of 1-year mortality.
CDC: Declines in Staph and MRSA Have Slowed
The data has prompted the CDC to encourage hospitals to take action in defense against outbreaks of bacterial infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).
Seattle Hospital Shuts Down ORs After Finding Fungus
Aspergillus is a common type of mold that poses a low risk to surgical patients, but Seattle Children’s is contacting about 3,000 patients who underwent procedures in the past four months.
Industry Focus—Infection Control: Examine Your Dialysis Space to Ensure Room to Separate Infectious Patients
Among other infection control practices for hemodialysis, surveyors will be observing water and dialysate testing, medication storage, preparation and administration, and “patient placement in full view of staff during dialysis treatment,” according to a Joint Commission official.
Ebola, Zika, and the Flu: CMS and CDC Want Action on Emerging Infections
The CDC issued a bulletin urging hospitals and other healthcare facilities to remain prepared for infectious disease outbreaks.