Chicago Sun-Times Editorial; Hospital-caused infections can, should be prevented

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial; Hospital-caused infections can, should be prevented
Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times Editorial; Hospital-caused infections can, should be prevented
February 8, 2010
http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/2034930,CST-EDT-edit08b.article


Some of the problems plaguing America's health-care system will take big resources to fix.
But lowering the rate of bloodstream infections that occur in hospitals isn't one.

So it was disappointing to see the results of a Consumer Reports Health analysis of infection rates in 926 hospitals nationwide, including 15 in Chicago.

The magazine focused on how well hospitals prevent central-line-associated bloodstream infections, which happen when bacteria contaminate catheters used in intensive care units. About 250,000 of these infections are reported each year, and they account for roughly one-third of infection-related deaths in hospitals.

Consumer Reports found that five of the Chicago hospitals they looked at had infection rates more than double the national average in 2008. And none of the 15 reported a zero percent infection rate, which is the goal for all medical centers.

The good news is that most of the poor-performing hospitals reported better numbers in 2009.

Still, it's troubling that rates were ever that high, considering how easy it is to eliminate these infections by following a few simple, inexpensive protocols.

It has been proven for years that health-care facilities can dramatically reduce rates of bloodstream infections, not to mention patients' hospital bills, if employees do routine things such as wash their hands and properly disinfect the patient's skin before inserting a catheter.

Those are policies that every hospital should emphasize without compromise, if they haven't already.

But it's even more important to make sure that everyone, from the senior management to the nurses and doctors in the ICU, makes it a priority to follow the right procedures with every patient.

Medical professionals who fail to do so fall short of their first responsibility -- do no harm.