Small measures cut hospital infection rates

? A study by Johns Hopkins researchers offers strong evidence that adherence to a few simple and cheap procedures – as basic as hand-washing – can drastically reduce the spread of infection in hospitals.

The Hopkins researchers tracked infection rates in Michigan hospitals that had agreed to institute strict safety practices for catheters. Used to administer medication and nutrients to some patients, the small tubes inserted into patients’ veins can also be the source of life-threatening infections.

A year and a half after the changes were made, the rates of catheter-related bloodstream infections dropped by 66 percent, according to the study, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 90,000 Americans die every year from infections they contract while hospitalized. Because many such infections are thought to result from antibiotic-resistant organisms, hospitals have been searching for ways to prevent the spread of the germs without relying on drugs.

Dr. Peter Pronovost, the lead author of the study, said it proves the effectiveness of simple measures. “We think this model really helps to advance the science of patient safety,” he said. “It shows what’s possible. We no longer have to accept the infections as inevitable.”