Small Hospital Lowers Infection Rate with Smart Purchases
The Community Hospital in St. Peter, Minn. is tiny with its 17 patient rooms and 62,000 square feet. Still, following very good results with its plan to reduce infection rates, it became a mentor in the 100,000 Lives campaign led by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Even though some of the guidelines proposed by the campaign didn’t apply to its small size, the hospital found some easy ways to improve its track record, including:
- replacing razor blades to shave surgical sites with electric shavers, as razor nicks can help germs get in.
- Buying a Bair Paws patient warming system. This warming gown not only is comfortable but also prevent patients from having a weakened immune system because of cold.
Sources: Star Tribune, The Free Press.
July 20, 2006 Related topics: Quality, Safety, Errors