Scottsdale Lincoln Health Network, Scottsdale, AZ
CAUTI Prevention Through Education, Continuum of Care, and Systemwide Buy-In

Abstract

Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates were very high, especially in the Scottsdale Health Network Osborn campus ICU. With the aim to decrease CAUTIs, we collaborated with a systemwide CAUTI taskforce and created a resident quality champion position for GME.

Methods: We presented a multidisciplinary CME forum on CAUTI, implemented daily management plans to track catheter use, implemented a urine retention protocol, instituted ED education, and created EMR prompts requiring physicians to enter the reason for a urinary catheter when ordered and to ask physicians if a urinary catheter could be removed or to list the indication for continued use.

Results: The total number of CAUTIs at 3 campuses was reduced from 70 to 52 between 2012 and 2014, and the total number of Foley days was reduced from >16,000 to <13,000 between 2012 and 2014.

Conclusions: As a project team that focused on patient safety and decreasing mortality and morbidity, we were successful. Our hope to completely eliminate CAUTIs in our system was not met. However, many key initiatives will continue and should lead to further reduction in CAUTIs in future years. A multidisciplinary, multifaceted approach with resident involvement is feasible and had a positive impact in our system. The resident quality champion position will continue, as will efforts to reduce CAUTIs.