Abstract
Background: The management of health care associated infections (HAIs) challenges acute care facilities due to variability in practices. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to decrease central line-associated bloodstream infection, catheter-associated urinary tract infection, and Clostridioides difficile infection in a high acuity care environment using a visual management (VM) tool to address practice variations.
Local Problem: An acute care unit experienced increasing HAIs.
Methods: An interprofessional team used Lean methodology to implement a VM tool reflective of evidence-based HAI prevention practices that staff had frequently omitted.
Interventions: A VM tool called the Safety Tracker was created.
Results: In 12 months, HAIs decreased from 9 events to 1, with a corresponding reduction in indwelling urinary catheter utilization and central line utilization. More than $160 000 were avoided in health care costs.
Conclusions: Creating an interprofessional VM Safety Tracker could significantly reduce HAIs.