Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common healthcare-associated infections, and 70%-80% are catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). About 25% of hospitalized patients have an indwelling urinary catheter placed during their hospital stay, and therefore, are at risk for CAUTIs which have been associated with worse patient outcomes. Additionally, hospitals face a significant financial impact since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services incentive program penalizes hospitals with higher than expected CAUTIs. Hospitalists care for many patients with indwelling urinary catheters and should be aware of and engage in processes that reduce the rate of CAUTIs. This article will discuss the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of CAUTIs in adults.
Journal of hospital medicine. 2019 Sep 18 [Epub ahead of print]
Karen Clarke, Casey L Hall, Zanthia Wiley, Sheri Chernetsky Tejedor, James S Kim, Lisa Reif, Lucy Witt, Jesse T Jacob
Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia., Division of Neuroscience Critical Care, Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia., Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia., Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, Georgia.