Infection Control
At UNC
Health Care we are very proud of the reductions in
healthcare-associated infections we have achieved for our patients. Our
major accomplishments include:
-
reducing our catheter-associated urinary tract infections (UTI) by more than 30% over the last five years.
-
reducing our catheter-associated bloodstream infections (BSI) by more than 80% over the last twelve years
These
achievements have placed us well below the national average for
healthcare-associated infections reported to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).
Unlike the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) that uses charge code data to
approximate healthcare-associated infections, we participate in a
standardized surveillance program directed by the CDC that evaluates
each patient’s hospital stay to determine if they acquired a
healthcare-associated infection. Using the CDC surveillance
methods provides a more precise and accurate measure of
healthcare-associated infections.
Like other
hospitals that participate in the CDC surveillance program, the
information we collect on these healthcare-associated infections is
used to identify and evaluate opportunities for prevention of
healthcare-associated infections. UNC Health Care has a
world-class infection control program where all clinicians are actively
engaged in preventing infections among their
patients.
Infection Rates
| Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection rate hospital wide (per 1000 catheter days) | ||
| Catheter Associated Bloodstream Infection rate in ICUs (per 1000 central line days) | ||
