Last Updated: March 24, 2010

Glen Cove Hospital Rated Among Nation’s Best

A new in-depth study by Consumer Reports rated Glen Cove Hospital among the nation’s best-performing facilities in New York and nationwide for preventing central-line infections in its intensive care units (ICU). The hospital is part of the fourteen hospital North Shore-LIJ Health System.
The Consumer Reports study focused on one of the most serious infections that occur each year in hospitals: bloodstream infections – known as central-line infections -- introduced through large intravenous (IV) catheters that deliver nutrition, medication and fluids to the body. According to the study, Glen Cove Hospital maintained a zero infection rate for 1,731 central line days – the total number of days that ICU patients had the IV catheter inserted in their neck or arm during the reporting period.
“The North Shore-LIJ Health System has a zero tolerance for preventable hospital-associated infections,” said Kenneth Abrams, MD, the health system’s senior vice president of clinical operations. “Due to precise infection control protocols and the diligence of our surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and other clinicians, Glen Cove hospitals has stepped out in front in our quest to eliminate all preventable hospital-acquired infections.”
Medical experts agree that central line infections are preventable with simple checklists, hygienic precautions and sterile practices. “If nurses and doctors strictly adhere to infection control protocols, you get results,” said Brian Pinard, MD, chief of surgery at the 265-bed Glen Cove Hospital, which has not had a central line-associated infection in more than two years. Adding to the success at Glen Cove, Dr. Pinard said, “The majority of central lines are inserted by a core of very experienced physicians; there is a high level of cooperation and respect between our nurses and physicians; and every staff member is held accountable for patient care.”
Following a common-sense checklist whenever treating patients with a central line prevents infection and adds another level of accountability to staff, Dr. Pinard said. “For example, surgeons must wear a mask, cap, sterile gown, gloves and use a drape on patients every time he or she inserts or removes a catheter, a process similar to preparing for a surgery,” he said.
In 2007, the North Shore-LIJ Health System was the first non-public hospital system to publicly report information on the prevalence of infections at its hospitals.

 

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