Case Studies
South Nassau Communities Hospital's goal for this initiative was to ensure rapid identification of patients at risk for sepsis and provide timely evidence-based interventions.
Rochester General Hospital's infection prevention team partnered with the surgical intensive care unit staff and leadership in response to increased central line-associated blood stream infection rates. After evaluating current practice, the team developed a comprehensive approach to central…
Rochester General Hospital formed a multidisciplinary team to develop and implement actions that would improve orthopedic patient outcomes. After analyzing data from previous years including cost and readmissions, the hospital created an action plan to address prevention of MRSA and surgical site…
This project addresses the needs of patients at high risk for C. difficile on a complex medical unit that consists of 37 acute medical beds. The goal set forth by the multidisciplinary team members was to decrease the rate of hospital acquired C. difficile by 15 percent. The baseline rate was 1.6…
Outside the intensive care unit, catheters remain in place for a longer duration; therefore, it is important to ensure the use of appropriate line maintenance practices by nursing staff. Starting in 2008, six hospitals in the Rochester area joined together to initiate surveillance and to reduce…
NuHealth Nassau University Medical Center identified central line-associated blood stream infection as a focus for corporate process improvement. Senior leaders reallocated existing resources for a robust performance improvement effort. Leadership worked collaboratively to identify improved…
In 2005, North Shore University Hospital's president and chief executive officer made a commitment to develop a standardized approach to control the incidence of hospital-acquired infections and improve infection control practices across the entire organization. A zerotolerance for infection…
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement estimates that 48 percent of intensive care unit patients have central venous lines. Attributable mortality from line-associated blood stream infections is between 4 percent and 20 percent, or between 800 and 4,000 deaths each year. Central line associated…
Mount St. Mary's Hospital and Healthcare Center created the hospital point of dispensing (HPOD) to mass-vaccinate staff to protect patients during influenza season. All staff are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated at one of the HPODs, which takes about seven minutes per staff member, on…
In 2005, Mount St. Mary's Hospital and Healthcare Center's leadership directed implementation of the central line-associated blood stream infection bundle as part of a strategic effort to decrease mortality, prevent avoidable harm, and increase patient safety. The directors of the…