Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Decreasing Health Care-Acquired Conditions: A Community Hospital's Use of Process Improvement to Decrease CLASBIs

After experiencing an increase in CLABSI, the vascular access team and infection prevention and control practitioners conducted root cause analysis to determine a variety of contributing factors. Multiple strategies were implemented to reduce CLABSI including education of physicians regarding use of the femoral vein, education of physicians and staff in the operating room, emergency department and interventional radiology regarding the importance of the central line insertion bundle, daily chlorhexidine gluconate bath in critical care, and daily review of line necessity in inpatient units outside of critical care. As a result, central line infections were reduced from 0.6 to 0.2 per 1,000 line days.

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This case study is part of the Illinois Hospital Association's annual quality awards. Each year, IHA recognizes and celebrates the achievements of Illinois hospitals in continually improving and transforming health care in the state. These hospitals are improving health by striving to achieve the Triple Aim--improving the patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction); improving the health of populations; and reducing the per capita cost of health care.

Award recipients achieve measurable and meaningful progress in providing care that is:

• Safe
• Timely
• Effective
• Efficient
• Equitable
• Patient-centered

(The Institute of Medicine's six aims for improvement.)