CDC reports continued decline in hospital infections

Hospitals reduced abdominal hysterectomy surgical site infections by 13 percent and central line-associated bloodstream infections by 11 percent in 2016, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report also shows progress by hospitals in reducing other health care-associated infections, including an 8 percent decline in Clostridium difficile infections; 7 percent declines in catheter-associated urinary tract, colon surgical site and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infections; and 2 percent decline in ventilator-associated events. For more on the report, see the CDC FAQs. AHA and CDC recently published a best practices guide on using the health care physical environment to prevent infections as part of a three-year CDC initiative to improve infection prevention and control efforts in U.S. hospitals.