Prevention of CAUTI in Adults

Scope and Impact of the Problem

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common hospital-acquired infection, accounting for up to 40% of infections reported by acute care hospitals.¹ The major risk factor associated with catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the presence of an indwelling urinary catheter. Despite efforts to reduce the occurrence of CAUTIs, their frequency increased 6% between 2009 and 2013.¹ CAUTIs increase hospital cost and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality.^2,3 CAUTIs are considered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to represent a reasonably preventable complication of hospitalization. As such, no additional payment is provided to hospitals for costs related to CAUTI treatment.⁴