WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Health Alert: Doctors implementing new changes to battle surgical infections

Health Alert: Doctors implementing new changes to battle surgical infections

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Too many people go in for one health problem and come out with another: an infection. In fact, there are 1.7 million infections every year in US hospitals.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, of those 1.7 million infections, 99,000 people will die.

On Wednesday, the South Carolina Hospital Association, Health Sciences South Carolina and Premier Healthcare Alliance will announce a major, state-wide effort to get rid of preventable infections.

They have formed the South Carolina Healthcare Quality Trust. This group is to figure out the problems and find the solutions.

But for Diane Parker, the initiative was too late.

Diane's husband Willy wore the badge of an Aiken police officer 33 years. He was two years from retiring.

He and his friends loved to barbeque and riding his Harley was a favorite activity with Diane.

"Here we are again. We're in a desperate situation and what in the world do I do? He was in CCU and they were telling me he'd be dead by daylight. And I was thinking, 'Lord, where do I go from here?'" Diane said.

Willy was dealing with a number of health problems, but it was a routine knee surgery in 2005 that would eventually lead to his death.

"It was just awful. For 14 days he lay in a coma. And he had two surgeries to clean out the knee," Diane said.

When in the hospital, Willy had picked up a staph infection. He was treated for more than two years, but his body could not fight it.

"He was so weak, he turned blue and died before they could ever get the needle out," Diane said.

Now their wedding bands are soldered together and Diane drives around with a magnet on her vehicle defining Willy as a victim of medical harm.

Cardiovascular surgeon D. Reid Tribble at Palmetto Health Heart Hospital already has been in the process of implementing changes to cut down on infections when he operates, like making sure blood sugar levels are controlled before operating so the body is strong.

"What we did is we found some of the fine points, the nuances that helped us go and get the last few percentage points, to get closer to 100 percent efficiency and that's what we wanted to do. We're striving for perfection is what our goal is," Dr. Tribble said.

In fact, at all Palmetto Health Hospitals, a hand cleaning station is now affixed at each patient's door. Basic principles of sterile techniques, use of antibiotics and proper hygiene in the operating room are still standard. But now, everyone is strictly required to sanitize when entering a room.

"We found compliance with that among all staff members, doctors, nurses and support staff is over 95 percent now. It is a complete culture change in our hospital," Dr. Tribble said.

Even nurses' computer screens and buttons reiterate the commitment to cut down on hospital-acquired infections.

The South Carolina Healthcare Quality Trust that will be introduced Wednesday will further explain the group's effort to "clean up" all 65 acute care hospitals in our state.

Diane Parker will be watching closely. She has formed her own group called "Advocates in Action for Patient Safety." She is currently working with lawmakers on legislation to protect patients.

Reported by Dawndy Mercer Plank

Posted by Jeremy Turnage