The Safe Patient Project is a Consumers Union campaign focused on eliminating medical harm, improving FDA oversight of prescription drugs and promoting disclosure laws that give information to consumers about health care safety and quality.
NEVER (NorthEast Voices for Error Reduction) is made up of member patient safety and advocacy organizations located throughout the northeast. The mission of NorthEast Voices for Error Reduction (NEVER) is the empowerment of patients and the elimination of healthcare harm by: advocating for patient interests in healthcare delivery; educating the public, the media, elected officials about patient safety, working toward a transparent and accountable healthcare system.
C. diff
Clostridium difficile is a bacteria that causes severe diarrhea when one’s natural stomach “flora” has been eliminated by antibiotics. Without a natural ecosystem to protect the stomach, bacteria moves in and takes over. C-diff can also be spread from person to person.
Click here for State Health Care Acquired Infection Reports
Consumers Union Documents
- CDC warns about ‘deadly diarrhea germ’
Some 14,000 Americans die every year from a bacterial infection known as Clostridium difficile, or C. diff. for short, and another 300,000 are hospitalized, according to a report released today from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And unlike other hospital-acquired infections, those numbers are going up instead of down—largely due to the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains of the bacteria.
- FDA explains links between C-difficile and stomach acid drugs
These drugs are also known as proton pump inhibitors
- Quick Steps for Searching Hospital Compare Infection Information
Central Line Bloodstream Infection Information Now Available for Hospitals Nationwide Instructions for Finding Out About Your Hospital: The Department of Health & Human Services is now disclosing for the first time information to compare central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in intensive care units at hospitals across the country. Three months of CLABSI information for Continue Reading
- CU Policy Brief: C. difficile
The growth of infections caused by Clostridium difficile (C.diff) is a highly alarming trend in hospitals today.
Blog Posts
- Cliff Sniffs C.diff
Last week an interesting study from the Netherlands demonstrated that a dog trained in detection was able to sniff out the presence of Clostridium difficile superbug (aka, c.difficile or c.diff) in hospital patients.
- Too many people harmed by C. diff infections – Hospitals need to clean up their act
Deadly C. diff infections, mainly contracted in hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities, are skyrocketing in the US. So why is the medical community doing so little to stop it? Watch and share this heartbreaking story showing the damage this infection can inflict and read the shocking new USA Today report for more Continue Reading
- CDC warns the public about deadly C. diff infections, patient safety advocates react
14,000 Americans die every year from diarrhea-causing C. difficile (or C. diff for short) infections and 337,000 people are hospitalized, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unlike other healthcare-associated infections that have been on the decline over the past decade, C. diff infection rates and deaths climbed to Continue Reading
- California Releases New Report on Hospital Infection Rates
A report by the California Department of Public Health, makes California a national leader on public reporting of infections.
- “It’s not just statistics…it’s somebody’s Mom”
Hospital infections leave a lasting impact on the individuals and families who had to experience them. For Mary Brennan-Taylor, hospital infections took the life of her mother, Alice Brennan, who passed away in 2009 after entering the hospital for pain and swelling in her leg.
News Articles
- Fecal Transplant: FDA Wants Regulation Source: MedPage Today (Wednesday May 15, 2013)
MedPage Today reports: “Researchers who have been reporting success with the use of fecal transplant to treat resistant C. difficile are likely to need an OK from the the FDA to continue that treatment.”
- Targeted screening can reduce spread of C. diff infection Source: Fierce Healthcare (Friday May 3, 2013)
New study published in the May issue of American Journal of Infection Control finds testing patients with 3 risk factors when they’re admitted could help hospitals reduce spread of C.diff infection.
- The revulsion about feces: Get over it Source: KevinMD (Thursday May 2, 2013)
Guest blog post about C.diff and feces on KevinMD by Christian Lillis, co-founder of the Peggy Lillis Memorial Foundation, and member of Consumers Union’s Safe Patient Project network.
- AP reports on hospital superbugs and cleaning efforts - advocate Christian Lillis quoted Source: Associated Press (Monday April 29, 2013)
AP reports on hospital superbugs and cleaning efforts. Christian Lillis, member of CU’s Safe Patient Project, is quoted in the article. Christian started the Peggy Lillis Memorial Foundation after the death of his mother from C.diff.
- New York Times Well Blog: Safer Hospital Rooms Source: New York Times (Monday April 15, 2013)
Over a 21-month period at a Cleveland hospital, researchers sequentially imposed three cleaning techniques: fluorescent markers whose disappearance after cleaning provided feedback on thoroughness, an ultraviolet radiation device to enhance regular cleaning, and a daily disinfection team requiring assessment and clearance of disinfected rooms by supervisory staff. The entire study is available to the public at http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/670217
Research and Reports
- APIC Guide to Preventing Clostridium difficile Infections Source: APIC (Friday March 8, 2013)
APIC guide: features up-to-date research and guidance on the prevention and treatment of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI), and incorporates current regulations. Included are an overview of CDI, strategies for prevention, considerations for specific patient populations, and evolving practices.
- Health Watch USA Newsletter - December 20, 2012 Source: Health Watch USA (Thursday December 20, 2012)
Patient safety news collected by Health Watch USA.
- Clostridium difficile Infections: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention Source: AHRQ (Monday December 19, 2011)
AHRQ information aimed at clinicians regarding C.diff infections.
- HCUP Projections: Clostridium Difficile Hospitalizations 2011 to 2012 Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (Tuesday July 10, 2012)
This report funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) focuses on the burden to hospitals of one type of healthcare-associated infection – Clostridium difficile infection (CDI).
- AHRQ: Toolkit for Reduction of Clostridium difficile Infections Through Antimicrobial Stewardship Source: AHRQ (Thursday October 18, 2012)
Clostridium difficile infection (C. difficile) is a serious public health problem that has recently increased in both incidence and severity. Taking steps to reduce C. difficile is a major health and public health imperative. Antimicrobial stewardship targeted to C. difficile reduction shows promise, because increased rates of C. difficile are associated with inappropriate antibiotic use. An antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) is a systematic approach to developing coordinated interventions to reduce overuse and inappropriate selection of antibiotics, and to achieve optimal outcomes for patients in cost-efficient ways. This toolkit assists hospital staff and leadership in developing an effective ASP with the potential to reduce C. difficile.
Antibiotic Resistance
Extending the Cure tracks changes in antibiotic resistance levels across regions of the United States, covering common bacteria-drug combinations. The ResistanceMap tells a story of growing resistance to commonly used antibiotics and identifies regional differences in resistance levels.
To Delay is Deadly
98,000 people die each year needlessly because of preventable medical harm. Efforts to reduce this are few and fragmented. With little transparency and no public reporting (except where hard fought state laws now require it), scarce data does not paint a picture of real progress.
In this report (PDF) we give the country a failing grade on progress on select recommendations we believe necessary to create a health-care system free of preventable medical harm.