WellStar Proudly at Bottom of this List: Number of Hospital Infections

Thank you to WellStar Hospital for the content!

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has been working for many months on a story they recently published.  The focus is on the need for continued improvement when it comes to infection rates among metro area hospitals.  Fortunately, the article explains that WellStar Health System has earned a great record of keeping in-hospital infections low in comparison to other hospitals in Georgia.

We hope you will read the excerpt below, click the link for the full article, and help us share the story as an example of the hard work we’re all doing together – as we strive to provide world-class healthcare to our communities.

From the AJC:

WellStar Health System, with hospitals in Cobb, Douglas and Paulding counties, prides itself on creating this kind of culture. The system started implementing the new protocols in earnest six years ago and saw dramatic results almost immediately. Today, WellStar’s Kennestone and Cobb hospitals have some of the lowest incidences of central line infections in Georgia.

“Gradually, over time, we have driven our rates lower and lower to as close to zero as we can get them,” said Dr. Marcia Delk, WellStar’s chief quality officer.

While achieving strong results on central-line infections, WellStar is also using its teams to combat other threats, whether it’s a unique sanitation system to kill a certain kind of bacteria; new protocols to cut down on surgical site infections; or an aggressive program to make sure patients are getting the right antibiotics at the right time — a crucial element of controlling infections.

When asked to talk about prevention programs, most hospitals bring in their top infection control doctors for an interview. But WellStar Cobb Hospital lined up its chief medical officer, its infectious disease doctor, an ICU doctor, floor nurses, nursing supervisors, clinical pharmacists and a team of nurses focused on infection prevention.

This sort of culture — staff members at every level engaged in infection prevention — saves lives, experts say.

Link to full article:  http://www.myajc.com/news/news/georgia-ranks-near-bottom-on-hospital-infections/nXZbm/?icmp=ajc_internallink_invitationbox_apr2013_ajcstubtomyajcpremium