Active surveillance and safety organizational goals to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections outside the intensive care unit: 9 years of experience.

We performed a quasi-experimental, cohort study in the medical-surgical inpatient wards comparing central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates and microbiologic characteristics in 3 phases. The CLABSI rates decreased 60% from phase 1 to 2 and 61.5% from phase 2 to 3. Gram-positive organisms were most frequently isolated in phases 1 and 3, and gram-negative bacilli were most frequently isolated in phase 2. The CLABSI surveillance and prevention program focusing on patient safety had a significant impact on CLABSI rates.