California initiative helps reduce hospital acquired infections

California Hospitals have reduced infections through a state-wide initiative where hospitals work together to share ideas for reducing infections, according to the LA Times.

The article states that the solutions are often simple, and include setting ventilator patients’ hospital beds at 30-degree angles to help keep the airway clear, and improving the oral care of ventilator patients to reduce bacteria buildup on equipment. 

These and other strategies have worked, with hospitals throughout the state reducing ventilator-associated pneumonia by 41%, catheter related urinary tract infections were reduced 24%, and blood stream infections were reduced by 11%.   

(Sources: The Advisory Board Daily Briefing, http://advisory.com, August 24, 2011; LA Times, http://www.latimes.com, August 23, 2011)