Florida Hospital in Orlando, USA

Florida Hospital in Orlando, USA

How Performance Solutions helped Florida Hospital in Orlando, USA, reduce CVC-related bloodstream infection by 20%.

“The Six Sigma approach to reduction of the BSI rate has proven successful, but the journey continues. We have still many other ongoing projects. Our organisation has also committed to the IHI (Institute for Healthcare Improvement) central line bundle. Policies and procedures have been revised to reflect appropriate catheter site and administration system care as well as no routine replacement and nursing is now involved”.

Lois Yingling, Clinical Best Practice Development Coordinator

Customer background:

  • Florida Hospital is an acute-care health care system (comprehensive network of 17 hospitals covering 7 campus and 3 counties in Central Florida)
  • 3,025 beds throughout Central Florida
  • More than 1 million patient visits every year
  • One of “America’s Best Hospitals”


Customer objectives:

  • Reduce BSI cases in general
  • Reduce central venous catheter (CVC)-related bloodstream infection (BSI) by 20% which is equal to 5 BSI cases per month instead of 6.33, or a 16 cases reduction annually


Project focus:

  • Reduce CVC-related BSI cases at Florida Hospital


What we found:

  • Average of 6 BSI cases per month
  • Baseline mortality rate for patients with BSI is 13%
  • Areas of improvement are hand hygiene, maximal barrier precautions, skin prep and antimicrobial catheter
  • Stakeholder high level support


Implemented solutions:

  • Ban artificial nails for direct care providers (hand hygiene)
  • Wide hand hygiene campaign
  • Custom tray for CVC lines including maximal barrier precautions, antimicrobial catheter and a 2% chlorhexadine with alcohol skin prep for use in ED and inpatient nursing units
  • Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for tray distribution to ensure ED and impatient nursing units receive trays with sterile garb
  • Self-learning BSI education to nursing


Customer benefits:

  • Overall BSI rate decreased by 40%
  • CVC-related BSI rate decreased as expected by 20% which, based on the baseline 13% mortality, is equal to a reduction of 16 BSI cases and the prevention of 2 deaths per year