When a patient requires long-term access to medication or fluids through an IV, a central line is put in place. A central line associated blood stream infection (CLI or CLABSI) occurs when a pathogen enters the blood stream through the central lines.
All hospitals with Critical Care Units are required to report into the Critical Care Information System (CCIS) – a centralized data collection system where hospitals report a variety of information. This information is used to calculate the CLI/CLABSI rate data that must be publicly reported.
Patients can reduce the chance of infection by following instructions given to them by their healthcare team. Appropriate hand hygiene practice is another way to prevent the spread of infection.
To review these rates, please click patient safety indicators