Medline's 'Erase CAUTI' Program Help Hospitals Slash Infection Rates

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common hospital-acquired infection, and 75 percent of these infections are associated with a urinary catheter (CAUTI). Since using Medline Industries, Inc.s ERASE CAUTI catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention program, the following facilities have substantially reduced their incidence of CAUTIs: 
 Orange Regional Medical Center (Middletown, N.Y.)
 Onslow Memorial Hospital (Jacksonville, N.C.)
 Stephens County Hospital (Toccoa, Ga.)
 Kindred Hospital Albuquerque (Albuquerque, N.M.)
 Harrison Memorial Hospital (Cythiana, Ky.)
 Wabash County Hospital (Wabash, Ind.)
 Memorial Hospital Converse County (Douglas, Wyo.)

Medline recently recognized these facilities at an awards ceremony for their sustained success and dedication to preventing these types of infections.

Each facility has been utilizing the ERASE CAUTI Program for nearly two years. In that time, these facilities have achieved a zero percent CAUTI rate or experienced an average reduction of 97 percent in CAUTIs. The ERASE CAUTI Program combines evidence-based principles and comprehensive training and education with an innovative one-layer catheter tray design.

Medlines ERASE CAUTI Program is a winner for everyone involved - for the patient, physician, nurse and the facility, says Kathy Jo Rose, RN, BSN, clinical nurse educator for Harrison Memorial Hospital in Cynthiana, Ky. The program provides user-friendly online instruction and education for our nursing staff on alternatives to catheterization, proper catheterization techniques and timely removal of catheters.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections occur in approximately 3 out of every 4 catheterized patients, according to the CDC. CAUTI has been associated with increased morbidity, mortality, hospital cost, and length of stay. By implementing Medlines comprehensive ERASE CAUTI Program, each facility helps eliminate the risk of their patients developing CAUTIs while in the hospital, and achieves considerable savings.  When factors including hospital room expenses and supplies are taken into consideration, the average cost per case to the facility is estimated to be anywhere from $4,000 to $40,000, with a total annual cost in the United States of more than $400 million, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The ERASE CAUTI Program features Medlines revolutionary one-layer tray design, which is labeled in a specific sequence that helps guide nurses during the catheterization process to adhere to current CDC recommendations, including aseptic technique. A checklist is also included on the packaging to help nurses make the decision on whether catheterization is appropriate for the patient and to assure the education transfers into everyday clinical practice.

We congratulate each of these facilities because we know how much hard work goes into preventing this common and dangerous hospital-acquired infection, says Tom Pistella, president of Medlines Urology Division. The ERASE CAUTI Program was designed in collaboration with clinicians to make it hard for them to do the wrong thing. Were thrilled that these facilities, as well as many others throughout the country, are reaping the tremendous benefits of improved patient outcomes by reducing their CAUTI rates.

Overall, facilities that use Medlines ERASE CAUTI Program show an average reduction of 80 percent in their incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections over the lifetime of the program. These same facilities also have reduced Foley catheter usage and product expenditures by an average of 15 percent.     

Source: Medline Industries