FSLH Infection Prevention Team Honored at the NYONE Annual Leadership Conference

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In November of 2011, Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare’s (FSLH) Infection Prevention Department was invited to attend the New York Organization of Nurse Executives (NYONE) Annual Leadership Conference in Tarrytown, New York. At the conference, they were awarded a best practice award in the Central New York Region for their Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) Reduction Team. Since implementing this team, FSLH has seena 25 percent overall reduction of UTIs and the rate continues to decline.

Through hospital-wide initiatives that include consistent hand washing, wearing an isolation gown and gloves when entering a patient’s room that is on contact precautions, more private patient rooms and cleaning medical devices and patient rooms with the proper disinfectants and equipment, the employees of FSLH have reduced the spread of bacteria and hospital-acquired infections throughout the organization.

FSLH uses a specific measurement called Nosocomial Infection Marker (NIM) to measure hospital-acquired infections. During the past year the hospital has reduced stool NIMs by 31 percent. That translates into 67 patients were prevented from acquiring an infection, 516 hospital days were prevented and there was a savings in additional direct costs of $278,000.

Certain areas of hospital reimbursement by insurance providers is tied to clinical quality. FSLH has earned Quality Leader status with Excellus BlueCross BlueShield which means the hospital receives an additional $10 reimbursement for each Excellus patient that is cared for in 2012.

“FSLH continues to see a reduction in the number of patients colonized or infected with resistant organisms such as MRSA or C. diff and we believe that mandatory isolation gowns, gloves and hand washing may be contributing to this improvement” said Dr. James Bramley, Infection Prevention officer at FSLH. “It is important that we continue to follow these safety initiatives to improve outcomes for patients. By being consistent, taking ownership and not being afraid to remind others to put on a gown and gloves or wash their hands, it becomes second nature for employees, physicians and visitors to take precautions when entering a patient room.”