3 Lessons U.S. Healthcare Can Learn from France to Cut Infections

Promote other priority initiatives to reduce HAIs. The French National Program has looked to promote other priority initiatives to reduce HAIs, including improving communication with patients on the risk of infectious diseases and adopting preventive practices for healthcare professionals.

Between 2005 and 2008, a number of targeted objectives have been achieved nationwide among the healthcare facilities including:

• Appointment of an infection control team (accomplished by 94% of the healthcare facilities)
   
• Usage of alcohol based products for hand hygiene (50%)
   
• Development of an evaluation program (90%)
   
• Creation an organization for sentinel events alert (96%)
   
• Creation of an anti infective drug committee (89%)
   
• Usage of guidelines for surgical prophylaxis (96%)
   
• Follow up with patients’ antibiotic use (88%)
   
• Providing patients with an information leaflet on nosocomial infections (96%)