CDC: Hospitals preventing infections; antibiotic resistance ongoing challenge

Acute-care hospitals reduced central-line associated bloodstream infections by 50% and surgical site infections by 17% between 2008 and 2014, according to a Vital Signs report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among other improvements, methicillin-resistant staph infections fell by 13% and C difficile infections fell by 8% between 2011 and 2014, and catheter-associated urinary tract infections fell by 5% in 2014. In 2014, the proportion of healthcare-associated infections caused by six antibiotic-resistant bacteria ranged from 12% in inpatient rehabilitation facilities to 14% in acute-care hospitals and 29% in long-term care hospitals. The findings are based on data from the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network and 2016 HAI Progress Report. CDC also released an Antibiotic Resistance Patient Safety Atlas, which shows the proportion of bacteria resistant to various antibiotics in acute-care and long-term care hospitals and IRFs nationally and by state and region. One way hospitals are addressing antibiotic-resistant infections is through Antibiotic Stewardship Programs. For more information, see today’s AHASTAT blog post.