CLABSI-Free: Frederick Health Protects Patients from Severe Infection

Frederick Health Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) recently surpassed 1,000 days without a single central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), one of the most common and serious infections in an ICU setting.  

CLABSIs are life-threatening infections that can lead to an extended ICU stay, sepsis, organ failure, and/or death. These infections are very common, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimating 250,000 cases occurring in U.S. hospitals each year. 

Each prevented CLABSI translates to approximately 1.85 lives saved per 100 infections prevented, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). 

"Nearly three years without a single CLABSI is more than a milestone,” said Jamie White, chief nursing officer of Frederick Health. “It is a representation of the many lives saved, significant costs prevented, and is, most of all, the result of consistent dedication and persistent adherence to strict infection prevention protocols by every member of our ICU team.” 

To prevent CLABSIs, Frederick Health Hospital’s ICU implemented numerous changes to processes and data-backed strategies, including the use of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing and CHG dressings, which have both been proven to reduce CLABSIs in hospitalized patients, according to the National Institutes of Health. During multidisciplinary patient rounds, team members discussed patient cases, took action, or expedited processes to reduce potential risks for infection. 

This milestone is a testament to the Frederick Health Hospital ICU’s autonomy, clinical judgement, and ownership over patients and their safety.