Monday, December 6, 2010

Checklist at work - Rhode Island hospitals reduce BSI rates using the Checklist

Collaboration among Rhode Island hospitals' intensive care units (ICUs) to reduce infection rates led to significant reductions of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).  The state's 11 acute-care hospitals formed The Rhode Island ICU Collaborative in 2005 with the goal of reducing infection rates in the hospitals' 23 ICUs.  The effort was partially paid for by insurance companies and had strong backings of the state government.

The ICUs used the Checklist developed by Dr. Peter Pronovost's team at Johns Hopkins Hospital.  By June 2010, the effort had saved 73 lives, avoided 3,271 patient days, and saved $11.5 million.  Although the effort focused on ICUs, the same model is applicable to other units within the hospital.

Rhode Island Department of Health now publishes quality measures including infection rates on a public website.

Abstract and link to full text of the study is here.

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