In recognition of its efforts to eliminate healthcare-associated infections, the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington has been awarded the 2014 Partnership in Prevention Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.
The 562-bed academic medical center has had a special focus on reducing HAIs since 2008, when it started forming teams to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections, surgical site infections and other HAIs. Those teams have had significant results.
By 2013, the hospital reduced CLABSIs in the medical ICU by 77 percent. CLABSIs in six of its outpatient dialysis centers also dropped by 83 percent. Additionally, two surgeon-directed initiatives led to fewer surgical site infections —
infection rates for total knee and hip joint replacement in the last 12 months are 81 percent lower than the 2009-2010 baseline rates, orthopedic spinal fusion SSIs have dropped 62 percent, and the hospital's surgeons have performed 1,677 infection-free total knee surgeries.
"Successful infection prevention programs, as demonstrated by the 2014 Partnership in Prevention Award recipient, require a multi-faceted approach to infection prevention and control," said Jennie L. Mayfield, BSN, MPH, president of APIC. "UVM Medical Center addressed HAIs at every level and throughout its care settings, achieving tremendous results. Their organization-wide achievements serve as an excellent model for other facilities seeking to reduce healthcare-associated infections."
The Partnership in Prevention Award, co-sponsored by HHS, APIC and SHEA, is given annually and is based on the concepts of the "National Action Plan to Prevent Health Care-Associated Infections: Roadmap to Elimination," presented by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.