The
Hospital Compare website now includes data on central line catheter bloodstream infection rates.
As an example, I compared the
infection rates for three hospitals in central Georgia. Only two hospitals had enough cases to report and both had infection rates lower that the average in other Georgia hospitals.
An example of the a comparative graph for the infection rates is noted below.
If you have read some of my earlier blogs, you will realize that central
line catheter associated blood stream infections are one of my patient
safety concerns. Tom, my late husband, had two episodes of sepsis after
hospital visits. It is one thing to have a terminal condition and
yet another to have your life threatened by careless healthcare providers.
Fortunately, the
CDC has guidelines for prevention. Prevention of safety concerns requires a
CULTURE of safety. The CDC also has
guidelines designed for patients and families on the topic.
