from the editor
from the editor
A Welcome Decrease in HAI Rates
The 2024 National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections( HAI) Progress Report, containing the most recent data which was released Jan. 29, 2026 by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control( CDC), shows that overall, most HAI SIRs decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
The report includes infection-specific standardized infection ratios( SIRs), which measure progress in reducing HAIs compared to the 2015 baseline time period. The SIR is the ratio of the observed number of infections( events) to the number of predicted infections( events) for a summarized time period. In addition to the SIRs, the report includes the standardized utilization ratios( SURs), which measure device use by comparing the number of observed device days to the number of predicted device days. The SIR and SUR metrics are calculated using the 2015 national baseline and risk adjustment methodology.
The 2024 HAI Progress Report also indicates a 9 percent decrease in central line-associated bloodstream infections( CLABSIs), with decreases observed across ICU locations, ICUs( 10 percent) and ward locations( 9 percent).
There was a 10 percent decrease in catheter-associated urinary tract infections( CAUTIs), with decreases observed across ICU locations( 15 percent) and ward locations( 8 percent).
Overall ventilator-associated events( VAE) decreased by 2 percent, with ICU locations observing a 2 percent decrease as well.
There was a 4 percent decrease in colon surgery SSIs, but notably, there was an 8 percent increase in abdominal hysterectomy SSIs in 2024 compared to 2023.
Hospital-onset MRSA bacteremia decreased by 7 percent, and an 11 percent decrease in hospital-onset C. difficile infections.
To review, the 2024 HAI Progress Report provides a summary of select HAIs across four healthcare settings: acute care hospitals( ACHs), critical access hospitals( CAHs), inpatient rehabilitation facilities( IRFs) and long-term acute care hospitals( LTACHs). The designation of CAH is assigned by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services( CMS) to hospitals with 25
healthcarehygienemagazine or fewer acute care inpatient beds that maintain an annual average length of stay of 96 hours or less for acute care patients. IRFs include hospitals, or part of a hospital, that provide intensive rehabilitation services using an interdisciplinary team approach. LTACHs provide treatment for patients who are generally very sick and stay, on average, more than 25 days.
The data is collected from HAI surveillance data reported to the CDC’ s National Healthcare Safety Network( NHSN), with more than 38,000 active hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare facilities providing this data which in turn is used for national-and state-level analyses, including for this HAI Report, and for targeted prevention initiatives by healthcare facilities, states, regions, quality groups, and national public health agencies, including CDC.
When comparing data among U. S. states 2024 over 2023, 17 states performed better on at least two infection types( with six states performing better on three infection types and four states performing better on four or more infection types). One state performed worse on two or more infection types.
As the CDC notes in the report,“ Full engagement between local, state and federal public health agencies and their partners in the healthcare sector through initiatives such as prevention collaboratives is vital to sustaining and extending HAI surveillance and prevention progress. CDC will continue its prevention, tracking, lab, and applied research activities to push the country further toward the goal of eliminating HAIs.”
Reference:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention( CDC). Current HAI Progress Report. Accessible at: https:// www. cdc. gov / healthcare-associated-infections / php / data / progress-report. html
Until next time, bust those bugs!
Kelly M. Pyrek Editor & Publisher Kelly @ healthcarehygienemagazine. com
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6 • www. healthcarehygienemagazine. com • march-april 2026