June 04, 2010 01:54am EST 

Infection is one of the leading causes of preventable death in hospitals every year. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are approximately 2 million preventable infections in hospitals every year, leading to 90,000 unnecessary deaths. The importance of keeping hospitals clean and infection free is greater now than ever, as information regarding the patient safety and the effectiveness of prevention efforts continues to grow.
Evidence shows that almost all of these infections are preventable if hospitals would follow proven protocols. Last year, Medicare stopped paying for preventable infections and The Joint Commission, a non-profit organization that evaluates and accredits hospitals, has released a number of strategies for preventing infections.
Hospitals are responsible for maintaining a safe environment in which infections are not easily spread. The following are 5 tips that a hospital can keep in mind when preventing infection:
1. Wash your hands
The most effective was to protect a hospital from spreading infection is to enforce strict hand-washing protocol. All physicians should clean their hands before treating any patient — so it doesn’t hurt to ask them to do it in front of you. Hospitals should consider placing alcohol-based hand cleaners in each room, or in close proximity of rooms to keep harmful bacteria off the hands that will be touching sick, weakened patients.
2. Keep equipment clean
Stethoscopes are commonly contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria. A central line catheter that is antibiotic-impregnated or silver-chlorhexidine coated can reduce chance of infection. It is also important to keep bodily fluids intact by covering the mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.
3. Keep the sick away from the healthy
If a patient’s sickness is infectious, it is important to keep them quarantined or separate from other patients and employees, especially those whose immune system is weakened. Consider investing in single-patient rooms or better air-ventilation systems.
4. Constantly change IVs
Patient IVs should be changed constantly, at a pace of every 3 to 4 days. Make sure that the IV is inserted and removed under clean conditions, and that the attending nurse or physician is wearing clean gloves.
5. Encourage patients to prevent infection
Patients are as much in control of their infection as the hospitals that treat them. Help the patient to understand the importance of washing their hands, covering the mouth and nose, avoiding close contact with others, and possibly getting vaccinated.
When an ill person walks into a hospital, they expect quality health care and healing, not contracting a new infection. Hospitals are responsible for providing an environment that is conducive to this expectation. Keeping the hospital clean and keeping both employees and patients aware of the importance of preventing infection is key. Fighting the spread of infection requires a combination of discipline, routine, and forward thinking.