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Public Relations / Marketing Officer
David Bruzzese
For Immediate Release
Mercy Regional Medical Center listed as 'top performer' by Consumer Reports DURANGO, Colo.-Mercy Regional Medical Center is listed in the March 2010 issue of Consumer Reports magazine as a top performing Colo. hospital in preventing central-line-related bloodstream infections among intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Mercy was one of only three Colo. hospitals that reported no such infections from August 1, 2007 to July 31, 2008. Twenty-eight Colo. hospitals are included in the comparison. "Preventing central line infections in patients has been an ongoing goal of our ICU staff. We cannot eliminate all risk of infection, but following nationally recognized evidence-based practices in the care of these patients makes a difference-and creates a safer environment for all patients," said Guy Walton, RN, infection control and employee health coordinator at Mercy. The Consumer Reports infection rate listing shows how well each hospital performed compared to the national average. Only hospitals that had more than 1,000 central-line days were included in the comparison. Central line days are the total days that all patients spent on central lines during the reporting period. Mercy was among only 105 hospitals of 926 in 43 states that publicly reported zero central-line infections. "This is evidence of collaboration between doctors, nurses, and other staff on every shift to make sure we keep our patients safe. We have focused on this outcome for many years, long before it became reportable," said Linda Young, RN, Mercy's director of critical care, pediatrics, and cardiac services. A central line is an intravascular catheter (tube in a vein) that terminates at or close to the heart or in one of the great vessels. An example of a great vessel is the aorta or superior vena cava. A central line can be used to transfuse or withdraw blood or to quickly infuse into a patient large volumes of fluids, nutrition, or medications. Central lines can be either temporary or permanent. A central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) is a bloodstream infection in a patient that had a central line inserted within the 48-hour period before the development of the infection. In other words, a patient developed a systemic bloodstream infection as a result of having a central line placed in the body. Data for the Consumer Reports comparison was taken from the State of Colorado Status Report on the Health Facility Acquired Infections Disclosure Initiative, which was released on January 15, 2009. The report also shows Mercy Regional Medical Center as having zero hospital-acquired surgical site infections among more than 160 patients who had hip replacement or knee replacement surgery during the reporting period. In August of 2009, Consumer Reports rated Mercy 4th among 48 Colorado hospitals based on patient satisfaction data taken from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) report by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS). Mercy Regional Medical Center is is a full-service, acute care hospital. As a not-for-profit medical hospital and member of Catholic Health Initiatives, Mercy is committed to improving the health and wellness of the communities it serves. See www.mercydurango.org for more information. Catholic Health Initiatives is a national nonprofit health organization with headquarters in Denver. The faith-based system includes 77 hospitals; 40 long-term care, assisted- and residential-living facilities; and two community health-services organizations in 20 states. Catholic Health Initiatives ranks as the nation's second-largest Catholic health care system. See www.catholichealthinitiatives.org for more information. # # # |
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