AVA conference update

Marketwatch.com have reported that improvements in the prevention of catheter-related infections will be the prime focus at the annual conference of the Association for Vascular Access (AVA) September 11-14 in Savannah, Ga.

The conference comes on the eve of major changes in Medicare that will eliminate payments to hospitals that fail to prevent certain hospital-acquired infections.

Among conference presentations on preventing catheter-related bloodstream infections:

• Allan Morrison, Jr., M.D., will describe the vision of an infection control program that can improve clinical outcomes and decrease infection rates, high-risk antibiotic use, hospital lengths of stay, and mortality.
• Stephen Ash, M.D., FACP, and Deb Richardson, R.N., M.S., CNS, will review current data about the effect of catheter locks or coatings on the infection rates. The speakers will also examine the potential for these technologies to significantly reduce catheter-related infections in the future.
• Kari Love, R.N., B.S., will present a poster to show how use of a closed luer access, split-septum device has eliminated catheter-related bloodstream infections for eight months in an adult medical-ICU population. The device replaced a positive-pressure mechanical valve.

 

 

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