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CMS policy led to increased attention to HAI prevention
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Results of a national survey that assessed the effect of the 2008 CMS policy to adjust payment for health care-associated infections indicated that 81% of infection preventionists reported increased attention to health care-associated infections targeted by the policy.
In December 2010, researchers sent a survey to a random sample of US acute care hospitals affected by the CMS inpatient prospective payment system (n=317). The duration of experience among survey participants varied: 45% reported working in the infection control field for more than 10 years, whereas 31% reported working in the field for 5 years or less.
Although 19% reported that they participated in pay-for-performance programs aimed at reducing health care-associated infections (HAIs) via private insurers, 85% stated that their institution supported local, regional and national efforts to decrease HAIs.
Seventy-seven percent reported stable funding for infection control associated with the CMS policy vs. 15% of those who reported increased funding. As a result of the policy, faster removal of central venous (50%) and urinary catheters (71%) were reported. Conversely, routine urine (27%) and blood testing (13%) upon hospital admission occurred less frequently.
Larger hospitals appeared to spend less time on nontargeted HAIs (OR=2.3; 95% CI, 1-5.1) when compared with hospitals with front-line staff who were receptive to change (OR=0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.8).
“Infection preventionists reported greater hospital attention to preventing targeted HAIs as a result of the CMS nonpayment policy,” the researchers wrote. “Whether the increased focus and greater engagement in HAI prevention practices has led to better patient outcomes is unclear.”
References:
- Lee GM. Am J Infect Control. 2012;40:314-319.
Disclosures:
- The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.