A Hospital-Acquired Infection (HAI) is an infection that occurs in a patient as a result of being in a hospital setting after having medical or surgical treatment. Stony Eastern Long Island Hospital has implemented a series of routine steps to prevent infections. These steps or principles are mandatory and monitoring is done to ensure employees, doctors and visitors are following the proper infection prevention procedures.
Examples include:
- Complete and thorough hand washing.
- Use of personal protective equipment such as gloves, gowns, and/or masks when caring for patients in selected situations to prevent the spread of infections.
- Use of an infection prevention checklist when putting central lines in patients, which reminds healthcare workers to:
- Clean their hands thoroughly.
- Clean the patient’s skin before insertion with an antiseptic.
- Wear the recommended sterile gown, gloves and mask.
- Place sterile barriers around the insertion site, etc.
The NYS Department of Health produces reports that compare Stony Eastern Long Island Hospital's hospital-acquired infection rates with other hospitals in the state of New York. The reports can be accessed by going directly to
http://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/facilities/hospital/hospital_acquired_infections/