Catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CA-BSIs) in hospitalized pediatric patients increase length of stay, patient acuity, and staffing requirements, and cost approximately $28000 to $56000 per episode. In the near future, the costs associated with a CA-BSI will not be reimbursed by Medicaid and will ultimately result in millions of dollars of lost revenue annually.

To help reduce the risk of these infections, the Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (CHONJ) at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center is participating in a nationwide collaborative organized by the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI). Twenty-nine hospitals have joined the collaborative to eradicate CA-BSIs in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

The original collaborative was a 3-year initiative that began in October 2006 and has resulted in a significant decrease in CA-BSIs in all participating hospitals. In January 2008, the second phase of the project will begin. An additional 50 hospitals will join...

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