Knight Investments LLC watch $40 Million in Recovery Act Funds for Healthcare-Associated Infections

Online, September 9, 2009 (Newswire.com) - "Americans expect to get better when they go to the hospital, not worse" said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "Unfortunately, every year, thousands of Americans die from illness they contract after they enter the hospital. Thanks to Chairman David Obey's leadership, the Recovery Act includes critical resources that will help fight these infections and keep patients safe."

Knight Investments LLC Vice President, President, and Chief Financial Officer were among the convened delegates who met to discuss such issues and expressed their approval that this problem had recently received public attention.

KI Officials noted that the CDC's efforts will focus on HHS priority targets such as bloodstream infections, surgical site infections and catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and will address pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C. diff). All of which recent projects have attempted to bring under control passing KI Underwriting Department's desk. The investment represents the first time Congress has appropriated HAI prevention funds specifically to states; which all parties seemed to agree was a much needed first step.

"We expect these programs to strengthen tracking and prevention of healthcare-associated infections, enhance facility accountability, provide data for informed policy, and ultimately save lives," said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. "Funding critical prevention efforts at state and local levels represents a significant investment toward elimination of HAIs and improved patient safety."

CDC estimates that every year, Americans contract 1.7 million infections while being treated in hospitals. These infections are associated with approximately 99,000 deaths annually. In addition to the significant toll on patients' lives, HAIs represent an estimated $30 billion in added healthcare costs.

It is specifically these reasons that the delegates at the Knight Investments meeting stated, "Plans of Action must be done".

KI Officials did however note that HHS has addressed HAIs by coordinating efforts across the Department and creating the HHS action plan which includes five-year national prevention targets to reduce and prevent much of the significant burden to our nation. Officials at the delegation stated that this was a good initiative but further steps would be needed.

One of the goals of the HHS Action Plan is to collaborate effectively with public and private sector partners to accomplish the large-scale prevention of HAIs.

For instance, CDC is collaborating with several states that have demonstrated that implementing CDC's HAI prevention guidelines and using NHSN to monitor progress can achieve major decreases in HAIs. Prevention success can be characterized in a number of ways. Some states have shown quick reductions after implementing prevention efforts, and others have sustained low infection rates over an extended period of time. For example, in the first six months of 2009, compared to 2008, hospitals in Tennessee achieved a 30 percent reduction of bloodstream infections associated with central lines (a catheter, or tube, that is inserted into a major vein or artery, and that ends up close to or in the heart). In another instance, intensive care units in a New York state hospital group achieved a 70 percent reduction of central line-associated bloodstream infections and sustained these rates for a three-year period.

"These are exactly the results we need but we must strive for zero margin of error when taking care of our citizens. It is important that we understand the degree of care, and focus simply on attention to detail. Much of this can be prevented and it should be treated as such." said Chief Financial Officer Montelly Lopez Jr.

"Many states and localities have lacked the resources and personnel needed to appropriately address the HAI burden," said Marion Kainer, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Tennessee Department of Health Hospital Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance Program, and HAI prevention lead for the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. "This investment will provide a unique opportunity to make prevention of HAIs a national accomplishment."