Iowa Public Television

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  Program: The Iowa Journal #221
  Broadcast Date: Apr. 2, 2009
  

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A new World Health Organization study shows that hospitals can prevent the spread of infections and improve the safety of a hospital stay by following checklists. We'll see how Iowa hospitals are reacting. We asked the Iowa Hospital Association to suggest two 'success stories' in Iowa.

We then visited a large and a small hospital to find out about infection control.

The large hospital they chose was Mercy Medical Center, Des Moines, for its connections with the "5 Million Lives" national campaign, and also the "Keystone Surgery Project."

The small hospital is Waverly Health Center, a 25-bed institution with an innovative approach to employee flu virus inoculations, as well as embracing protocols from the "5 Million Lives" campaign and the World Health Organization check list.

The two hospitals have chosen different areas to emphasize, both low- and high-tech. But, both organizations have also jumped into the other major adjustment of this century - learning how to improve outcomes for patients by working together in groups.

• health
• health care
• hospitals
• Iowa
• medical
• safety
• technology

Post Date: April 2, 2009