2008 Cardinal Health Patient Safety Grant Recipients >
Rush University Medical Center
A Prospective Model for Identifying Patients at Increased Risk for Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections
Team members
The following people are on the interdisciplinary team:
- Raj Behal, MD, MPH, Senior Patient Safety Officer and Associate Chief Medical Officer
- Robert McNutt, MD, FACP, Chief, Section of Medical Informatics and Patient Safety and Assistant Chair, Department of Internal Medicine
- David Ansell, MD, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
- Tricia Johnson, PhD, Director, Center of Health Management and Policy Research, Department of Health Systems Management, and Health Economist, Rush University Medical Group
- Brain Harting, MD, Fellow, Infectious Disease, Rush University Medical Center and John Stroger Hospital of Cook County
- Richard Odwazny, MS, MBA, Administrative Manager, Department of Medicine
“A Prospective Model for Identifying Patients at Increased Risk for Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections” is an initiative that will build upon the culture of patient safety at Rush and will be collaboratively led by an interdisciplinary, cross-functional team of practitioners and researchers who are experts in patient safety, medicine and health economics. Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common nosocomial infection, representing approximately 40% of all hospital-acquired infections, one extra hospital day per patient, and 6.5 UTIs per 1000 patient medical intensive care unit (ICU) days. Little is known about why some patients with prolonged urinary catheters develop symptomatic infections and others do not. Significant costs are associated with diagnostic testing and antibiotic treatment for symptomatic infections and unnecessary treatment of bacterial colonization. The goal of this project is to identify risk factors of patients and the systems and processes of care that increase the risk of developing a symptomatic UTI. By identifying a robust set of risk factors, our ultimate goal is to develop an intervention that proactively prevents UTIs from occurring in patients who require longer term urinary catheters. The patients will benefit by avoiding additional antibiotics, additional blood draws and a prolonged stay in the hospital, and by lowering of risk of further complications such as sepsis.
Program inquiries
Raj Behal, M.D., M.P.H.
Associate Chief Medical Officer and Senior Patient Safety Officer
Email:
Raj_Behal@rush.edu
Phone: 312.942.6706
Rush University Medical Center
1700 West Van Buren, Suite 250
Chicago, IL 60612
U.S.A. - English
