Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi was recently recognized by Information & Quality Healthcare for their health care associated infection rates being among the best in the state for the reporting period January 2014 through July 2015.

Information & Quality Healthcare reports under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Department of Health and Human Services to track information about catheter-associated infections (CAUTI) and central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI).  A recent report from Mississippi’s Quality Innovation Network — Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) shows Baptist North Mississippi as one of the top 5 hospitals with the lowest level of CAUTI out of the 46 facilities participating in the program.

In addition, the Mississippi QIN-QIO report showed Baptist North Mississippi ranking in the top 20 percent of participating hospitals for the lowest level of CLABSI.

“At Baptist North Mississippi, we are always looking for ways to improve patient safety.  Through collaboration with the Mississippi QIO and other hospitals across the state, we share best practice ideas and strategies that improve patient safety and healthcare,” said Betty Von Kohn, manager of infection prevention at Baptist North Mississippi.

The public reporting of this data is part of a movement by the Department of Health and Human Services to make health care safer and communities healthier.

“Baptist North Mississippi colleagues are committed to quality improvement and we are proud of their hard work.  This report shows that Baptist North Mississippi has one of the lowest infection rates as recognized by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This will help contribute to better health outcomes for patients,” said Bill Henning, CEO and administrator.

Baptist North Mississippi is a 217-bed hospital that offers a variety of services, including cardiovascular surgery, neurosurgery, the Baptist Cancer Center and a 24-hour emergency room. Since the hospital became affiliated with Baptist Memorial Health Care in 1989, Baptist has invested more than $140 million into the facility.