GLEN COVE, NY – The New York State Department of Health recently released a report that showed Glen Cove Hospital maintained the lowest central-line associated blood stream infection rate (CLABS) in its medical-surgical intensive care units (ICU) among 113 non-major teaching hospitals in the state. The report includes data from 2009, the most recent year for which statistics are available.

Going beyond the report, on September 19, 2010, Glen Cove Hospital celebrated 1,000 days, or over 2 ½ years, with a zero ICU central-line infection rate, a significant accomplishment for any critical care facility.

“This is a tremendous achievement and I applaud our dedicated staff members who have made Glen Cove Hospital a safer environment for our patients every day,” said Dennis Connors, the hospital’s executive director. “We are celebrating this milestone but we are firmly focused on continuing our diligence to prevent central-line infections in the ICU.”

Central-line infections are one of the most serious that occurs each year in hospitals. This bloodstream infection is introduced through large intravenous (IV) catheters that deliver nutrition, medications and fluids to the body of critical care patients.

“The superior results at Glen Cove are the result of a collaborative effort between nursing, infection control and physician staff,” said Brian Pinard, MD, chief of surgery at Glen Cove Hospital. “Based on evidence-based strategies, these clinicians have consistently put their motivation and caring into action to reduce the risk of infection while caring for patients.”

The culture of patient safety in hospitals has changed dramatically in the last several years. Dr. Pinard said that prior to 2005 there was a common misconception in healthcare that some hospital infections were unavoidable and beyond anyone’s control. Glen Cove Hospital, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, embraced the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s 100,000 Lives Campaign (to prevent medical errors and infections) and the facility’s journey to zero hospital-acquired infections began.

According to Dr. Pinard, Glen Cove’s success was a result of practices implemented that led to excellent outcomes, improved patient safety, decreased length of stay, a decrease in mortality and cost avoidance. The hospital’s evidence-based initiatives included: effective communication through daily inter-professional rounds, education, competence and monitoring of various programs, including hand hygiene, sterile practices and the use of universal safety protocols. Above all else, Dr. Pinard added, “It is the enormous teamwork and seamless cooperation among ICU team members that has helped us achieve the long-standing, significant results we are seeing.”

Media Contact: Betty Olt
516-465-2645
bolt@nshs.edu