Healthcare Quality News

Hospitals are cutting staff, resources and education for infection prevention at a time when the prevalence of many healthcare-associated infections is increasing, according to a report released today by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

According to the survey, three-quarters of those whose budgets were cut experienced decreases for the necessary education that trains healthcare personnel in preventing the transmission of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) such as MRSA and C. difficile. Half saw reductions in overall budgets for infection prevention, including money for technology, staff, education, products, equipment and updated resources. Nearly 40 percent had layoffs or reduced hours, and a third experienced hiring freezes.

Click here for the Press Release.

(SOURCES: Advisory Board Daily Briefing, http://advisory.com, June 9, 2009; Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, http://apic.org, accessed June 11, 2009)