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Seven-fold increase in certain infections among U.S. children
In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have found a 700-percent surge in infections caused by bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family among children in the U.S. These antibiotic-resistant infections are in turn linked to longer hospital stays and potentially greater risk of death.
"The problem is compounded," said the lead author, "because there are fewer antibiotics approved for young people than adults to begin with. Health care providers have to make sure we only prescribe antibiotics when they're really needed. It's also essential to stop using antibiotics in healthy agricultural animals."
Group Seeks to Mitigate Antibiotic Resistance
The Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group (ARLG) conducts clinical research to combat the growing public health threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which cause 2 million infections and more than 20,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.
Here are three things to know about ARLG.
1. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases launched the ARLG in 2013 with $2 million in funding.
2. The group's research centers on four critical areas:
gram-negative bacteria like E. coli Enterobacteriaceae;
gram-positive bacteria like methicillin-resistant Staph aureus; antimicrobial stewardship;
and advancing the field of infectious disease diagnostics.
3. Since its inception, the ARLG has conducted more than 30 clinical studies and reviewed more than 70 study proposals in these key areas of focus.
Explore
Resources for Patient Safety Awareness Week
Patient Safety Awareness Week, an initiative of the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF), runs March 12-March 18. Here are two ways to address patient safety issues:
* Access materials for NPSF's Ask Me 3,
a health literacy program to promote better communication between healthcare providers and patients.
* Download and read Safety is Personal: Partnering with Patients and Families for the Safest Care,
a report from NPSF Lucian Leape Institute.
Find more information on how to participate
here
.
This Year's Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns
The ECRI Institute has released its "Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns for Healthcare Organizations 2017." The annual report is based on data from ECRI Institute's Patient Safety Organization, concerns raised by provider organizations and expert judgment and is intended to help provider organizations prioritize issues and create corrective action plans.
ECRI Institute's 10 picks this year are:
1. Information management in EHRs
2. Unrecognized patient deterioration
3. Implementation and use of clinical decision support
4. Test result reporting and follow-up
5. Antimicrobial stewardship
6. Patient identification
7. Opioid administration and monitoring in acute care
8. Behavioral health issues in non-behavioral-health settings
9. Management of new oral anticoagulants
10. Inadequate organization systems or processes to improve safety and quality
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