In an effort to help prevent the six most important healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), five healthcare organizations have published A Compendium of Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections in Acute Care Hospitals. The compendium was announced Oct. 8.
Six of the most important preventable HAIs with the greatest impact on morbidity and mortality were identified: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, Clostridium difficile infection, central line-associated bloodstream infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, catheter-associated urinary tract infection, and surgical site infection. Recommendations are prioritized into two categories--minimum basic practices that should be adopted by all acute care hospitals, and special approaches for use in locations and/or populations within hospitals when infections are not controlled using basic practices.
The compendium was produced by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Infectious Diseases Society of America, in partnership with the American Hospital Association; the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.; and The Joint Commission. Access the compendium.
