HAIs in Arizona

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that over 2 million hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) occur in U.S. hospitals each year, and as many as 99,000 patients who get these infections die as a result. These infections also result in $4.5 billion in excess health care costs annually.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs)
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection involving any part of the urinary system, including urethra, bladder, ureters, and kidney. UTIs are the most common type of healthcare-associated infection reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Among UTIs acquired in the hospital, approximately 75 percent are associated with a urinary catheter, which is a tube inserted into the bladder through the urethra to drain urine. Between 15 percent to 25 percent of hospitalized patients receive urinary catheters during their hospital stay. The most important risk factor for developing a catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI) is prolonged use of the urinary catheter. Therefore, catheters should only be used for appropriate indications and should be removed as soon as they are no longer needed.

Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs)
Clostridium difficile is a germ that can cause diarrhea. Most cases of C. diff infection occur in patients taking antibiotics. The elderly and people with certain medical problems have the greatest chance of getting C. diff. C. diff spores can live outside the human body for a very long time and may be found on things in the environment such as bed linens, bed rails, bathroom fixtures, and medical equipment. C. diff infection can spread from person-to-person on contaminated equipment and on the hands of doctors, nurses, other healthcare providers, and visitors.

Surgical site infections (SSIs)
A surgical site infection is an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. Most patients who have surgery do not develop an infection; however, infections develop in about 1 to 3 out of every 100 patients who have surgery. Surgical site infections are sometimes superficial and involve the skin only; others are more serious and can involve tissues under the skin, organs, or implanted material.

Central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs)
A "central line" or "central catheter" is a tube that is placed into a patient’s large vein, usually in the neck, chest, arm, or groin. The catheter is often used to draw blood, or give fluids or medications. It may be left in place for several weeks. A bloodstream infection can occur when bacteria or other germs travel down a "central line" and enter the blood. CLABSIs result in thousands of deaths each year and billions of dollars in added costs to the U.S. healthcare system, yet these infections are preventable.

Implementing the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP)
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) supports the national implementation of an educational and technical initiative using the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) and interventions to prevent CLABSIs and CAUTIs. CUSP was designed to improve safety culture and help clinical teams learn from mistakes by integrating safety practices into the daily work of a unit or clinical area. CUSP is implemented at the unit level and provides a scalable intervention (program) that can be implemented throughout an organization. CUSP is powerful because it provides a structured strategic framework for safety improvement that is flexible enough to tap into staff wisdom and empower staff to fix hazards that they perceive pose the greatest risks. This program draws from frontline providers who have the most knowledge regarding safety hazards and the means to lessen the severity of those hazards, and it provides a mechanism to help defend against hazards.