NY hospitals try new ways to prevent infections

To reduce infections patients acquire inside its hospitals, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital conducted surveys of housekeeping staff and embedded researchers with them as they cleaned. Researchers discovered barriers to better cleaning often stemmed not from disregard for the patient but from respect. "Some of our housekeepers are reluctant to get right up in a patient's space," said David Calfee, the hospital's deputy medical director for infection prevention and control. "They worry they'll get in the way or the smell would be offensive to the patient." The project is one way New York hospitals have sought to fight hospital-acquired infections. [Subscription Required]