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2008T Fresenius Hemodialysis

Interview with
Jeffrey H. Burbank
Founder& CEO of NxStage

Reduction in Bloodstream Infection Rates in Outpatient Hemodialysis Centers Participating in a CDC Prevention Collaborative

Authors: Sarah H. Yi, Alexander J. Kallen, John A. Jernigan, Priti R. Patel
for the members of the CDC Dialysis BSI Prevention Collaborative
Affiliation: Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA USA
Presented at National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meeting 2012

What are the main findings of the study?

• Outpatient hemodialysis facilities participating in a collaborative effort to prevent healthcare-associated infections demonstrated a 31% decrease in bloodstream infections (BSIs) and a 53% decrease in access-related BSIs.

What did facilities do as part of this project?

• Facilities joined a collaborative project sponsored and led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Participating facilities worked together with CDC to develop and implement a set of interventions designed to prevent bloodstream infections through improved vascular access care. Facilities also measured rates of infections in a standardized way using CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) surveillance system.

• Each facility worked to implement and promote staff adherence to the recommended interventions. Facilities collaborated with each other to develop solutions to common problems and barriers.

What should clinicians and patients take away from this study?

• BSIs in patients undergoing  hemodialysis are preventable through the implementation of evidence-based practices

What recommendations do you have for nephrology health care providers as a result of this study?

• Consider the approaches used by the collaborative:

• Implement CDC-recommended interventions for preventing BSIs

• Use a standard measurement system, such as NHSN, to monitor BSI rates

• Audit infection prevention practices  and provide information back to facility staff

• Educate staff regularly on basic infection prevention practices

• Consider joining a group of other motivated facilities. Sharing information, ideas, and best practices may be helpful in overcoming barriers to infection prevention.

• More information about the collaborative, interventions to prevent BSIs in hemodialysis settings, and tools to assist in this process are available at: www.cdc.gov/dialysis/collaborative