Infection Prevention

HealthONE hospitals take infection prevention seriously. We have a variety of programs in place to keep our patients from acquiring common, easily preventable infections while in our care.

Bloodstream Infections

Intensive care units have vastly reduced bloodstream infections through a program we call Aim for Zero. As its name indicates, we strive to have zero bloodstream infections in our intensive care units. We do this by following simple guidelines such as:

 

• Wearing sterile masks, gloves & gowns
• Washing hands
• Cleaning the patient’s skin with antiseptic before inserting a catheter
• Checking the catheter daily
• Carefully handling all medications and fluids that are given through the catheter
• C. diff - Clostridium difficile (klos-TRID-e-uhmdif-uh-SEEL), often called C. difficile or C. diff, is a bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. C-Diff has become a common hospital- acquired infection over the years.

 

To minimize our patients' risk of infection, HealthONE hospitals are:

 

• Using antibiotics appropriately
• Cleaning and disinfecting patient rooms thoroughly
• Promoting hand hygiene

 

View HealthONE Hospital Central Line Infection Rates

Influenza

Each year a different flu vaccine is developed. When it becomes available, all employees are offered the vaccine free of cost and our goal is for 100% of employees to be immunized. Those who cannot take the vaccine are required to wear masks at work to ensure the safety of patients, visitors and employees.

MRSA

To combat Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), an infection caused by a strain of staph bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics, HealthOne hospitals rely on their ABCs:

Active surveillance of high-risk patients

Barrier precautions to protect those who interact with the patient from acquiring the infection

Compulsive hand hygiene

Disinfection/environmental cleaning

Executive ownership to ensure all departments understand and follow the ABCs

Every hospital is required to track and report compliance with this protocol.