Patient Safety - Adult

What patient safety means to UK HealthCare

Keeping you safe during your stay at one of our hospitals is our highest priority. We are committed to reducing infections and complications that can occur during a hospital stay. 

We are tracking two measures: Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) and Serious Complications Composite (PSI)

Healthcare associated infections

The healthcare-associated infections (HAI) measures are developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and collected through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). They provide information on infections that patients develop while in the hospital.

NHSN is reporting each healthcare associated infection by a method called Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR). The Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) is a statistic used to track healthcare associated infections (HAIs) over time, at a national, state, or facility level. The SIR compares the actual number of HAIs at each hospital, to the predicted number of infections. It is the ratio of the actual number to the predicted one.

These infections can be related to devices, such as central lines and urinary catheters, or they can be spread from patient to patient through contact with an infected person or surface.  

UK HealthCare’s HAI measures are all publicly reported and are available on the Hospital Compare website maintained by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. See our measures.

Central line-associated bloodstream infection

 

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection

 

Surgical site infections from colon surgery

 

Surgical site infections from abdominal hysterectomy

 

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood laboratory-identified events (bloodstream infections)

 

Clostridium difficile (C. Diff.) laboratory identified events intestinal infections

 

Patient safety indicators

Higher rates of serious but potentially preventable complications may be a sign of poorer quality hospital care. Hospitals can reduce the chance of these serious complications by following safe practices. This composite summarizes 11 individual Patient Safety Indicator (PSI) measures.

These measures include: 

  • Pressure sores.
  • Collapsed lung that results from medical treatment.
  • Infections from a large venous catheter.
  • Broken hip from a fall after surgery.
  • Blood clots in the lung or a large vein after surgery.
  • Bloodstream infection after surgery.
  • A rupture along a surgical suture.
  • Accidental cuts and tears.
  • Bleeding or a collection of blood internally after surgery.
  • Blood sugar problems or kidney failure following surgery.
  • Respiratory failure following surgery.

Patient safety indicator