Surgical Infection Prevention: Success Stories PENNSYLVANIA Collaborative Efforts Result in Decreased Surgical Infections in Pennsylvania Teams from 69 hospitals in Pennsylvania decreased surgical infection rates in just over a year through their participation with Quality Insights of Pennsylvania in the Surgical Infection Prevention Collaborative. Between April 2003 and April 2004, participating hospital teams implemented, tested, and tracked changes in surgical antibiotic administration for patients undergoing joint replacements and hysterectomies. The result: improved care that can save lives. The teams made significant progress, including: Increasing from 53.6% to 59.4% the proportion of surgical patients receiving appropriate prophylactic antibiotics Increasing from 53.6% to 59.4% the proportion of surgical patients receiving prophylactic antibiotic within one hour prior to surgical incision Increasing from 42.5% to 53.8% the proportion of surgical patients with prophylactic antibiotics discontinued within 24 hours after surgery end time The Collaborative was led by Quality Insights of Pennsylvania, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Pennsylvania , under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Quality Insights of Pennsylvania is continuing to assist hospitals improve quality of care. For more information, contact April Faulkner, Assistant Director of Communications, at 1.877.346.6180, extension 7612. This material was prepared by Quality Insights of Pennsylvania , the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Pennsylvania , under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents do not necessarily reflect CMS policy.

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