Preventable bloodstream infections are a lingering problem in hospitals because of lack of time, resources and a commitment by hospital leadership to actively thwart such infections, a new survey conducted by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology found.

The results of the survey were released during APIC's annual conference taking place in New Orleans, LA this week. There were 2,075 respondents in total, including members of APIC, the Infusion Nurses Society and the Association for Vascular Access.

About half of those who responded said they do not have enough time to address the infections, known as catheter-related bloodstream infections or CRBSIs. Seven in 10 respondents also indicated they lack the time needed to train other staff on bloodstream infection prevention.
More than half of the respondents said their hospital leadership is lacking commitment to dedicate the adequate attention to CRBSI prevention.

"What was probably not surprising but what I find most disappointing is that 70 percent of our respondents said that hospital leadership was not willing to invest in reducing center-line or catheter-related bloodstream infections," Kathy Warye, CEO of APIC, told DOTmed News. "I think that's really disappointing considering how inexpensive it is to truly mount these efforts and what the savings could possibly be. I think it's got to be an awareness problem that we're dealing with primarily."

One in four of those surveyed said they strongly believe their facilities adequately monitor compliance with best infection-prevention practices or hold clinical staff accountable to such guidelines.

Warye said the results of the survey shed light on the prevalence and importance of recognizing the extent of the problem when it comes to preventable bloodstream infections.

"Clearly not all of the respondents in our survey felt that their executives were even aware that CRBSIs are a problem. I think we have to build the awareness," she said. "Then we have to build the understanding that these infections are not inevitable outcomes of complex patient care, they are in fact preventable."

Warye said that a focus on the financial burden of preventable bloodstream infections is needed. The infection-prevention effort per patient is about $3,000. However, once the patient is infected, the cost of care goes up to approximately $30,000, she said.

"We need to create a change in the mindset on the part of executive leadership so they understand that infection prevention should no longer be considered a cost matter, but should in fact be considered a partner in profitability," said Warye. "I think that if we can achieve that shift in the mindset, then you're going to see a lot more investment into these initiatives."

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