Hillcrest Hospital Claremore is proud to serve Claremore and the surrounding communities. When you place your health in our hands, we take that responsibility to heart. We are continuously working to improve the care we provide for our patients, including our efforts to eliminate or reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). When a patient enters the hospital, there is some risk of acquiring an infection. The infection could come from a variety of sources, from surgical wounds and urinary catheters to IV lines.
Patient safety and infection risk reduction are our highest priorities. Over the last two years, our staff has taken additional steps to protect patients from infections. Some of our efforts include:
- Good hand hygiene. This is the first line of defense in the prevention of the spread of infection. We observe hundreds of staff members each month to ensure they wash their hands or use alcohol-based sanitizers between patients.
- Environmental cleaning. Using the right type of disinfectant, applied in the correct way, is vital for the agent to kill bacteria and viruses. Our cleaning agents are approved for hospital-level disinfection.
- Reduction in the use of devices. Devices such as urinary catheters and IV lines, known as central IV catheters, are well- to put a patient at risk for bacteria to enter the body. To reduce this risk, we review each patient and work to avoid the use of these devices when possible. We look for non-invasive alternatives such as external urinary catheters. Central line IV catheters are, in some cases, unavoidable due to the severity of the patient’s illness. This is why we take additional steps to maintain the entry point of the IV. Sterile procedures are used when these lines are inserted, and special dressing is applied while the line is in use.
The included data shows improvement in the outcomes in both central line IV usage and infections and urinary catheter usage and infections.
We’re honored to serve our community and meet your health care needs. To learn more about the services offered at Hillcrest Hospital Claremore, click here.