Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) in Tifton is one of 339 hospitals in the U.S. and one of eight hospitals in Georgia to have a Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) rate of zero, as based on the healthcare-associated infections dataset from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and as recently reported by Becker’s Hospital Review. TRMC is the main hospital for Southwell.
“A CLABSI is a serious infection that occurs when germs enter the bloodstream through a central venous catheter, which is a long, thin tube inserted into a large vein of a patient,” said Charlotte Griffin, MSN, RN, CIC, Southwell’s Infection Prevention Lead. “The central venous catheter delivers fluids, medications, and blood products. CLABSI infections can lead to severe complications, including sepsis. Our team of physicians, nurses and other clinicians have worked hard to reduce CLABSIs through the implementation of evidence-based practices, protocols, checklists, and by fostering a culture of patient safety.”
The Healthcare-Associated Infections dataset, updated April 30, includes performance data for five types of infections collected through the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network. The measures show how often patients in a hospital contract infection during an inpatient stay compared to similar hospitals. The measures apply to all patients treated in acute care hospitals, including adult, pediatric, neonatal, Medicare and non-Medicare patients, according to the CMS data dictionary. Data was collected from July 2023 through June 2024.
“Thanks go to our incredible team for implementing proven interventions, using good hand hygiene, utilizing sterile barrier precautions, and always seeking continuous performance improvement,” said Griffin. “Our goal is to always provide safe, quality care for our valued patients.”
TRMC also recently earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit, independent watchdog organization focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries, and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.
