Preventing Hospital Infections: Real-World Problems, Realistic Solutions

Nearly 2 million Americans develop a healthcare-associated infection each year, and some 100,000 of them die as a result. Such infections are highly preventable, particularly through the adoption and implementation of evidence-based methods for reducing patient infection at the point of care. In cases where hospitals fall short of their goals for improving infection prevention, their failures are often rooted in a low rate of staff adherence to the new prevention policies.

In easy-to-read, user-friendly language, Preventing Hospital Infections leads readers through a step-by-step description of a quality improvement intervention as it might unfold in a model hospital, pinpointing the likely obstacles and offering practical strategies for how to overcome them. The text draws on the extensive personal clinical experience of the authors, including examples, anecdotes, and down-to-earth, practical guidance.

Whereas most books focus on the technical aspects of healthcare-associated infections, this book offers the first manual for effecting real, practical change. Whether resistance comes from physicians who distrust change, nurses who want to protect their turf, or infection preventionists who avoid the wards, Preventing Hospital Infections offers an innovative and accessible approach that focuses on navigating the human element in a hospital quality improvement initiative.

Sanjay Saint, MD, MPH, is the George Dock Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan, the Director of the VA/University of Michigan Patient Safety Enhancement Program, and the Associate Chief of Medicine at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. He is an international leader in preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) and is currently on the leadership team of a federally-funded project that is reducing CAUTI across the United States. He has research studies underway in Japan, Thailand, Switzerland, Italy, and Australia, and has been a visiting professor at over 45 institutions across the world.

Sarah L. Krein, PhD, RN, is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan and an investigator at the VA Ann Arbor Center for Clinical Management Research. She also has an adjunct appointment at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. Dr. Krein has expertise in implementation research and qualitative methods with a particular focus on enhancing patient safety and preventing healthcare-associated complications.

Robert W. Stock is a freelance book and magazine writer. As an editor, writer, and columnist for The New York Times for three decades, and as a freelancer, he has frequently written about medical subjects, ranging from amniocentesis to genetic counseling to public health.