The Impact of Colonization and Infection on Vascular Devices

Infection reduction and colonization reduction are often discussed in conjunction with one another. Healthcare organizations and infection prevention teams have shifted their focus on reducing hospital acquired condition rates to include central line associated bloodstream infections (or CLABSI). How often is there a focus on reducing colonization, whether it be an area on the body, or on the surface of a medical device? Does the ability to reduce colonization have the potential to improve patient outcomes? This lecture will explore risk reduction as it pertains to colonization reduction.