On the CUSP: Stop CAUTI

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are the most common type of health care-associated infection in U.S. hospitals and account for 35 percent of all such infections. The estimated cost per year for CAUTIs is $565 million, and the estimated number of deaths per year is 8,205. Yet, the vast majority of CAUTIs are preventable. The Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET), through a contract with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), coordinates this national initiative and Barb Edson, RN, MBA, Senior Director of Clinical Quality at HRET, is the project lead. HRET's partners include the Michigan Health & Hospital Association's Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality, The University of Michigan Health System, St. John Hospital and Medical Center, and the Johns Hopkins Quality and Safety Research Group.

The goals of this national project are as follows:

1. Reduce mean CAUTI rates in participating clinical units by 25 percent over eighteen months.
2. Improve patient safety by disseminating the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) model and tools as evidenced by improved teamwork and communication.
3. Partner with the CDC to support the measurement and timely feedback of CAUTI and other health care-acquired infection (HAI) data, and for state hospital associations to partner with state-based organizations to address the elimination of HAIs.

For more information on joining the next project cohort, contact Deborah Bohr, state liaison project manager, at 646-678-4280 or dbohr@aha.org, or visit www.onthecuspstophai.org.