Process + Technology = Better Patient Care
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Scan the health sections of the national daily newspapers and you’re likely to find a common theme, ways to improve patient care, and more specifically, how to eliminate hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). Whether discussing the launch of the Department of Heath and Human Service’s hospital compare tool, or the approaching enactment of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement changes, it’s clear that HAIs have assumed a central position in America’s conversation on patient safety and quality health care.
Given the impassioned discussion around HAIs, specifically as it relates to their prevention, it’s easy to assume that all facets of the conversation are being fully explored. A number of articles have delved into the importance of better hand washing policies and procedural checklists in an effort to reduce and/or prevent HAIs. Despite the understanding that proper hygiene and standard procedures dramatically eliminates the risk of infection, nearly 2 million people contract HAIs annually.
This dangerously high statistic illustrates the need to look beyond relying solely on hygiene and process measures to reduce HAIs. While they have been proven to reduce HAIs, they cannot be used as a stand-alone infection control policy. Instead, healthcare providers need to consider a two-pronged approach to prevent infections, one that incorporates the use of the best medical technologies available along with strict adherence to hygiene procedures.
Based on the widespread need to eliminate HAIs, I founded MADRI, the Multidisciplinary Alliance Against Device-Related Infections. MADRI is based on the principle that a collaborative approach to infection prevention can result in better patient outcomes and is unique because it promotes conversation between healthcare providers, government agencies and device and drug manufacturing companies.Â
By bringing all stakeholders to the table, MADRI provides a forum to discuss and share information and develop strategies for the prevention and treatment of device-related infections. The MADRI conference this past June marked the eighth annual meeting. More than an anniversary, however, it marked a sustained effort to merge the best minds, the best technologies and the best practices to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
Infection prevention is a responsibility for all healthcare professionals. With a solid commitment and adherence to infection control best practices and innovations in medical-device technology, the healthcare community can significantly reduce HAI rates and related treatment costs. With the heightened attention to HAI rates and patient awareness, now is the time for a renewed focus on leveraging clinically protective medical device innovations that can help save the lives of thousands of people.
Rabih O. Darouiche, M.D., VA Distinguished Service Professor, Departments of Medicine (Infectious Disease Section) and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Director, Center for Prostheses Infection, Michael E. Debakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; Founder, Multidisciplinary Alliance Against Device-Related Infections.
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