Agencies Focusing on HAIs
According to estimates from the CDC, healthcare associated infections (HAIs) are one of the top
10 causes of death in the United States. Although patients can acquire HAIs in a wide variety of healthcare settings, including nursing homes and ambulatory surgery centers, hospital patients are especially vulnerable to HAIs. Regulatory, governmental and other agencies are seeking to reduce the incidence of HAIs. Such agencies include:
- The Joint Commission - National Patient Safety Goals
- Goal 7: Reduce the Risk of Healthcare Associated Infections
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- World Health Organization: World Alliance for Patient Safety
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
- Congress: through the US Government Accountability Office (GAO)
- Healthcare Associated Infections in Hospitals: An Overview of State Reporting Programs and Individual Hospital Initiatives to Reduce Certain Infections,
GAO-08-808, September 5, 2008 - Healthcare Associated Infections in Hospitals: Leadership Needed from HHS to Prioritize Prevention Practices and Improve Data on These Infections,
GAO-08-673T, April 16, 2008
- Healthcare Associated Infections in Hospitals: An Overview of State Reporting Programs and Individual Hospital Initiatives to Reduce Certain Infections,
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
As of October 1, 2008, Medicare no longer pays the additional costs of certain preventable conditions acquired in the hospital or other healthcare setting. The list includes: - Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections
- Vascular Catheter Associated Infections
- Surgical Site Infections following:
- Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)- Mediastinitis
- Bariatric Surgery
- Laparoscopic gastric bypass
- Gastroenterostomy
- Laparoscopic gastric restrictive surgery
- Orthopedic procedures
- Spine
- Neck
- Shoulder
- Elbow
