Infection Prevention and Control
Stay informed on the latest news and developments in infection prevention and control. AHA provides valuable resources and support to help you maintain a safe and clean environment.
Hospitals participating in the first four cohorts of an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality program led by the AHA鈥檚 Health Research & Educational Trust affiliate reduced catheter-associated urinary tract infections by 32% in non-intensive care units between March 2011 and November 2013鈥
Hospitalizations for opioid abuse/dependence increased 72% between 2002 and 2012 to an estimated 520,275 per year, while hospitalizations for opioid-associated infections rose 91% to 6,535, according to a study published today in Health Affairs. Intravenous administration of opioids and heroin鈥
Appropriate use of antibiotics to prevent surgical site infections varies substantially across children鈥檚 hospitals, according to a study reported today in JAMA Pediatrics. Based on a review of administrative data from 31 freestanding children鈥檚 hospitals between 2010 and 2013, appropriate use鈥
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鈥
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today issued reports on Zika virus infection among U.S. pregnant travelers, and transmission of Zika virus through sexual contact with travelers to areas of ongoing transmission. Based on tests performed at CDC as of Feb. 17, only nine pregnant鈥
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today urged dialysis providers to assess and promptly address any gaps in their infection control practices, citing an increase in reports of acute hepatitis C virus infections. Providers and facilities also should follow CDC guidelines for鈥
Hospitals are making 鈥渟ubstantial progress in improving safety,鈥 according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that found a 17% decline in hospital-acquired conditions from 2010 to 2014. That translates to 87,000 lives saved and nearly $20 billion in health care鈥
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality today released a toolkit to help hospitals prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections, which is based on an AHRQ program administered by the AHA鈥檚 Health Research & Educational Trust, among others. More than 1,200 hospitals鈥
The AHA鈥檚 Health Research & Educational Trust affiliate and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today announced a three-year initiative to improve the implementation of infection prevention and control efforts in U.S. hospitals.
Saving an estimated 50,000 lives and $12 billion in health care costs is something to celebrate. Congratulations to the 3,700 acute-care hospitals that have participated in one of the Hospital Engagement Networks (HENs) that are part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services鈥 Partnership鈥