CDC: Health care-associated infections declined in 2017

Acute-care hospitals reduced Clostridium difficile infections by 13 percent and central line-associated bloodstream infections by 9 percent in 2017, according to the latest progress report on reducing health care-associated infections from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hospitals also reduced methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infections by 8 percent, catheter-associated urinary tract infections by 5 percent, and ventilator-associated events by 3 percent in 2017, among other improvements. The AHA’s Health Research & Educational Trust affiliate has worked with CDC to reduce CLABSI, CAUTI, C difficile and MRSA infections in targeted acute-care hospitals. HRET also has worked with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Comprehensive Unit Based Safety Program to prevent CLABSI and CAUTI infections, and with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Hospital Improvement Innovation Networks to reduce hospital-acquired conditions.