HHS Awards $17 Million in Funds to Reduce Health Care-Associated Infections - November 3, 2009

HHS has awarded $17 million in funds that Congress appropriated in 2008 to reduce health care-associated infections (HAIs). A total of $8 million in funds will be used to expand the Keystone Project, which involves using a checklist of evidence-based safety practices and staff training on how to prevent HAIs, among other measures. The program is currently operating in all 50 states, but will be expanded to include more hospitals. The remaining $9 million will fund programs to reduce MRSA and other types of HAIs, including improved measurement of surgical site infection risk stratification and outcome detection, for which NAPH member Denver Health has been awarded $413,000.