Hospitals are growing concerned about the increase in a new strain of hospital-acquired infections, or HAIs.
A study released in September by Arlington Medical Resources (AMR) and Decision Resources, found that a relapse or recurrence of Clostridium difficile infections in the hospital setting is difficult to treat.
The study comes as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is considering adding Clostridium difficile to its list of “never events,” or preventable hospital-acquired conditions for which CMS will lower or cut Medicare payments to hospitals.
HAIs kill nearly 100,000 Americans each year and cost U.S. hospitals $4 billion to $29 billion annually.
The Joint Commission has also tightened its focus on HAIs, launching the Center for Transforming Healthcare to use new methods to find the causes of dangerous breakdowns in patient care, which can lead to HAIs.
According to infectious disease specialists surveyed for the AMR report, new strains of Clostridium difficile and the lack of effective second- and later-line therapies are significant challenges in treatment.
For the study, AMR and Decision Resources analyzed hospital antibiotic prescribing patterns and gathered information on physicians’ product preferences, factors driving hospital antibiotic prescribing patterns and receptivity to emerging antibiotics.
The Joint Commission’s new Center’s first initiative is tackling hand-washing failures that contribute to HAIs.
“Demanding that healthcare workers try harder is not the answer,” said Mark R. Chassin, MD, president of The Joint Commission. “A comprehensive approach is the only solution to preventing bad patient outcomes.”
Eight participating hospitals will focus on three issues related to hand-washing: soap or alcohol-based hand rubs that are not convenient for caregivers to use; faulty data that lull facilities into thinking hand washing is occurring more frequently than it is; and a lack of individual accountability.
“Hand washing in hospitals should become as automatic as looking both ways before crossing the street,” said William D. Petasnick, president and CEO of Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, Wis.
Clostridium difficile is a gram-positive bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from severe diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon and is most common among the elderly.
The new hypervirulent strain has been associated with severe outbreaks of the bacterium and has raised awareness about the need for the improved prevention strategies the Center is addressing.
The solutions proposed by the Center now being tested include: holding everyone accountable and responsible - doctors, nurses, food service staff, housekeepers, chaplains, technicians, therapists; using a reliable method to measure performance; communicate frequently and use real time performance feedback; and tailor education in proper hand hygiene for specific disciplines.
“This is an opportunity to take part in solving chronic and dangerous problems that occur in hospitals nation-wide,” said Joseph Swedish, president and CEO of Novi, Mich.-based Trinity Health. “The Center is poised to engage in a number of breakthrough process improvement projects, which will make a transformational improvement in the quality and safety of healthcare.”