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Clinical Quality Measures

Surgical Infection Prevention

In an operating room, there are open wounds, surgical instruments, intravenous fluids and blood transfusions. This makes it a key area to focus on preventing infections. St. Anthony’s has five quality teams working to prevent infections and other surgical complications by complying with recommended guidelines, including giving the right antibiotic at the right time.

Clinical Outcomes

The information below shows how often St. Anthony's provided recommended treatment for people who have certain types of surgery.

Surgical infection prevention provides treatments that are shown to help prevent a post-operative infection at the incision site.

Legend: At or Better than National Average | Near National Average | Below National Average

Measures: Higher % is Better	Our Performance	National Average	How We Compare
Outpatients having surgery who got an antibiotic at the right time - within one hour before surgery Why is it important? Hospitals can prevent surgical wound infections. Medical research shows that surgery patients who get antibiotics within the hour before their surgery are less likely to get wound infections.	95%	87%
Outpatients having surgery who got the right kind of antibiotic Why is it important? Hospitals can prevent surgical wound infections. Medical research has shown that certain antibiotics work better to prevent wound infections for certain types of surgery.	99%	93%
Surgery patients using beta blockers before coming to the hospital, were kept on the beta blockers during the period just before and after their surgery. Why is it important? It is often standard procedure to stop patients’ usual medications for awhile before and after their surgery. But if patients who have been taking beta blockers suddenly stop taking them, they can have heart problems such as a fast heart beat. For these patients, staying on beta blockers before and after surgery makes it less likely that they will have heart problems.	85%	87%
Surgery patients who were given an antibiotic at the right time (within one hour before surgery) to help prevent infection. Why is it important? Getting an antibiotic within one hour before surgery reduces the risk of wound infections. Hospitals should check to make sure surgery patients get antibiotics at the right time.	96%	92%
Surgery patients who were given the right kind of antibiotic to help prevent infection. Why is it important? Certain antibiotics are recommended to help prevent wound infection for particular types of surgery. This measure looks at how often hospital surgical patients get the appropriate antibiotic in order to prevent a surgical wound infection.	97%	95%
Surgery patients whose preventative antibiotics were stopped at the right time (within 24 hours after surgery). Why is it important? It is important for hospitals to stop giving preventive antibiotics within 24 hours after surgery to avoid side effects and other problems associated with antibiotic use. For certain surgeries, however, antibiotics may be needed for a longer time.	91%	90%
Heart surgery patients whose blood sugar (blood glucose) is kept under good control in the days right after surgery. Why is it important? Even if heart surgery patients do not have diabetes, keeping their blood sugar under good control after surgery lowers the risk of infection and other problems. "Under good control" means their blood sugar should be 200 mg/dL or less when checked first thing in the morning.	88%	91%
Surgery patient needing hair removed from the surgical area before surgery using a safer method (electric clippers or hair removal cream not a razor). Why is it important? Preparing a patient for surgery may include removing body hair from skin in the area where the surgery will be done. Medical research has shown that shaving with a razor can increase the risk of infection. It is safer to use electric clippers or hair removal cream.	100%	98%
Surgery patients whose doctors ordered treatments to prevent blood clots for certain types of surgeries. Why is it important? Certain types of surgery can increase the risk of blood clots forming in the veins. This is because patients don’t move much during and, usually, after some surgeries. Venous thrombosis is a condition in which a blood clot (thrombus) forms in a vein. This clot can limit blood flow, causing swelling, redness and pain. Most commonly, clots occur in the legs, thighs, or pelvis. If a part or all of the clot breaks off from where it was formed, it can travel through the veins. The part that breaks off is called an embolus. If the embolus lodges in the lung, it is called a pulmonary embolism, a serious condition that can cause death. A number of factors can increase a patient’s risk of developing blood clots, but doctors can order preventive treatments called prophylaxis to reduce the risk. Prophylaxis may include blood thinning medications, elastic support stockings, or mechanical air stockings that promote circulation in the legs. Higher percentages are better.	93%	88%
Patients who got treatment at the right time (within 24 hours before or after their surgery) to help prevent blood clots after certain types of surgery. Why is it important? Treatment(s) to prevent blood clots must be given at the right time to prevent blood clots forming after selected surgeries. Venous thrombosis is a condition in which a blood clot (thrombus) forms in a vein. This clot can limit blood flow, causing swelling, redness and pain. Most commonly, clots occur in the legs, thighs, or pelvis. If a part or all of the clot breaks off from where it was formed, it can travel through the veins. The part that breaks off is called an embolus. If the embolus lodges in the lung, it is called a pulmonary embolism, a serious condition that can cause death. A number of factors can increase a patient’s risk of developing blood clots, but doctors can order preventive treatments called prophylaxis to reduce the risk. Prophylaxis may include blood thinning medications, elastic support stockings, or mechanical air stockings that promote circulation in the legs. Higher percentages are better.	89%	87%

Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) data report 10/2008-9/2009

Data Updated: 5/25/2010

State of Missouri Hospital Comparisons - Infection Reports

Legend: At or Better than National Average | Near National Average | Below National Average

Infection Report:	How We Compared to Missouri Hospitals
Central Line-Associated Bloodstream (CLAB) Infection - Medical ICUs
Central Line-Associated Bloodstream (CLAB) Infection - Surgical ICUs
Surgical Site Infection - Abdominal Hysterectomy
Surgical Site Infection - Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
Surgical Site Infection - Hip Prosthesis

Source: Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services data report 1/2009-12/2009

Data Updated: 7/9/2010

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