December 15, 2011 — Howard County General Hospital: A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine (HCGH) received national attention with the visit of Pamela Lipsett, M.D., MHPE, FCCM, president of the Society of Critical Care Medicine. In a special ceremony, Dr. Lipsett presented the HCGH Intensive Care Unit (ICU) team with an award from the Department of Health and Human Services and Critical Care Societies Collaborative National Awards Program to Recognize Achievements in Eliminating Healthcare-Associated Infections.

After identifying a higher-than-acceptable rate of central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) in 2008, a multidisciplinary ICU team developed a new approach to placing and monitoring the lines, which eliminated infections for more than 699 days. In fact, the ICU has had only one CLABSI since January 3, 2009.

Dr. Lipsett praised the team’s collaborative approach. “You have made a tremendous difference in the care of your patients. The ICU team should be deeply proud for having such intense focus on patient care that, together as a team, you developed this important protocol. You deserve the national recognition of this award.”

A leading cause of healthcare-associated infections in acute care hospitals, CLABSIs are linked to a central line or central vascular catheter — a long, thin tube inserted into a large vein and used to provide medicine, fluid, nutrients, or blood over an extended period of time to the sickest patients.

The HCGH ICU team began using pre-sorted bundles of equipment and supplies, including sterile materials for both the patient and care giver, as well as a check list which helps ensure staff maintain appropriate hand hygiene and follow the proper sterile technique. The success of the ICU program led to its expansion hospital wide in January 2010 to include all patients with central lines.

Howard County General Hospital: A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine is a not-for-profit health care provider with 249 licensed beds located in Columbia, Maryland. A comprehensive, acute-care medical center, Howard County General offers a full range of services, from neonatal care and oncology to outpatient treatment and critical care.