HAI Prevention
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)
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The Wisconsin Division of Public Health (DPH) was
awarded a two year grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA) of 2009, to enhance HAI prevention efforts in the state by
establishing a public health approach to HAI prevention. Grant funding
will be used to design strategies to reduce blood infections associated
with catheters in large veins or arteries (CLABSI),
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections acquired
during hospitalizations and infections at the site of hip and knee
surgery.
General information
DPH has developed specific goals to reduce HAIs including
- Improving monitoring for HAIs by enrolling more Wisconsin
hospitals into the CDC National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)
surveillance database
- Improving laboratory testing and information sharing on bacteria
causing HAIs such as MRSA and other emerging pathogens
- Supporting/augmenting current HAI prevention activities of
partners (Wisconsin Hospital Association CLABSI reduction and
MetaStar MRSA reduction) as well as initiate new hospital HAI
prevention activities
- Developing statewide quality measures and quality improvement
innovations
- Supporting more information sharing and consumer choice
- Helping patients and their families play a role in HAI prevention
Who is at risk for HAIs?
HAIs occur in all settings of
care and are associated with a variety of causes including medical
devices, such as catheters and ventilators, complications following a
surgical procedure, transmission between patients and healthcare
workers, or the result of antibiotic overuse. In hospitals they are
significant cause of morbidity and mortality.
Scope of the problem
HAIs are among
the leading causes of death in the United States, accounting for an
estimated 1.7 million infections and 99,000 associated deaths in 2002.
In addition the financial burden attributable to these infections is
staggering. It is estimated that HAIs incur $28 to $33 billion in excess
healthcare costs nationwide each year.
Most common types of infections
-
Central line-associated
bloodstream infections (CLABSI)
-
Catheter-associated
urinary tract infections (CAUTI)
-
Ventilator-associated
pneumonia (VAP)
-
Surgical site infections
(SSI)
What you can do to prevent HAIs
- DHS Consumer Guide to Healthcare
- Additional information
Information for health professionals
National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) resources
HAI infection surveillance worksheets
- Central line-associated bloodstream
infections (CLABSI)
(PDF, 100 KB)
- Surgical site infections (SSI)
(PDF, 96 KB)
- Urinary tract infections (UTI)
(PDF, 87 KB)
- Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)
(PDF,
72 KB)
Additional information:
- Other resources for HAI prevention
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
(AHRQ)
- Association for Professionals in Infection
Control and Epidemiology (APIC)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)
- US Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS)
- Institute for Healthcare Improvement
(IHI)
- The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of
America (SHEA)
- Vitalsigns
CDC Making Healthcare Safer
- WI HAI prevention partner sites
Contacts
Wisconsin
Local Health Departments - Regional offices - Tribal agencies
Gwen Borlaug, Infection Control Epidemiologist
Wisconsin Division of Public Health
Bureau of Communicable Diseases and Emergency Response
(Phone 608-267-7711) (Fax 608-261-4976)
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Last Revised:
May 10, 2013 |
