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primaris flame Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI)

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is one involving any part of the urinary system, including urethras, bladders, ureters or kidneys. The urinary tract is the most common site of healthcare-associated infection, accounting for more than 30% of infections reported by acute care hospitals.

Among UTIs acquired in the hospital, approximately 80% are associated with a urinary catheter, a tube inserted into the bladder through the urethra to drain urine. Between 15-25% of hospitalized patients receive urinary catheters during their hospital stay. The most important risk factor for developing a catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI) is prolonged use of the urinary catheter. Therefore, catheters should only be used for appropriate indications and should be removed as soon as they are no longer needed.

Join the effort to reduce and eliminate CAUTI's in Missouri! Get started by contacting one of our regional representatives:

Providers wishing to get started may download the official Medicare QIO toolkit on HAIs.

Dana Lammert, MA
Eastern Missouri Program Manager
dlammert@primaris.org

Bob White, BA, PT
Western Missouri Program Manager
rwhite@primaris.org

Don Earnheart, MS, BS
Southern Missouri Program Manager
dearnheart@primaris.org

 

 

Primaris has free quality improvement resources for this topic.