Preventing infection Key stats:
• DSHS estimates 200,000 health care- associated infections (HAIs) occur an- nually, causing about 9,000 deaths.
• The Institute of Medicine reports na- tionally an estimated 2 million people acquire HAIs annually, and as many as 98,000 patients die needlessly due to preventable medical harm.
• A total of 320 Texas health care fa- cilities reported HAI data to Texas in 2012 with 996 central line-associated bloodstream infections and 1,075 sur- gical site infections (SSIs) identified.
Key strategies:
• DSHS worked with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the Texas Hospital Asso- ciation Foundation to form networks of hospitals that developed best prac- tices to help reduce central line-as- sociated bloodstream infections and SSIs.
• Texas law requires general hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers to re- port to DSHS certain HAIs to promote infection prevention activities within health care facilities and improve pa- tient safety.
• The first annual statewide summary HAI report is available online (www
.haitexas.org) and includes data from January 2012 to December 2012 re- garding the following infections:
° Central line-associated blood- stream infections data for any
adult, pediatric, or neonatal inten- sive care units in general hospitals;
° SSIs and related data for spinal surgery with instrumentation, car-
diac procedures, and ventricular shunt operations in children’s gen- eral hospitals; and
° SSIs and related data for proce- dures like colon surgery, hip and
knee arthroplasties, and abdomi- nal hysterectomies in adult care general hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers.
“Texas has worked hard to require
health facilities to report HAIs. The de- partment collaborates with hospitals to implement best practices to prevent HAIs,” Dr. Lakey said.
Fighting HIV Key stats:
• DSHS estimates that 72,932 Texans are living with HIV, and DSHS data indicate that the number of new HIV diagnoses in Texas has remained relatively stable over the past decade, with about 4,400 new diagnoses and
1,300 deaths reported per year.
• Some 17,000 people in Texas are liv- ing with HIV but are currently un- aware of their status.
• In Texas, about one-third of new HIV diagnoses are late diagnoses in which the patient develops AIDS within a year of initial HIV diagnosis.
Key strategies:
• Federal 2014 CDC funding alone for HIV, hepatitis, sexually transmit- ted diseases, and tuberculosis totals $1.07 billion.
• AIDS Arms (
www.aidsarms.org) has a portfolio of programs aimed at thwarting the spread of HIV in identi- fied high-risk populations:
° Reentry programs work closely with individuals recently released
from the Texas criminal justice sys- tem to link them to medical care immediately.
° Another program addresses Texans with multiple diagnoses of mental
illness, substance use, and HIV.
° An intensive linkage-to-care model helps individuals who are home-
less or at risk of being homeless.
° Viviendo Valiente uses a culturally- based access-to-care framework to
reach those of Mexican descent who are HIV positive.
° Retention in care programs work to keep individuals in medical
treatment through coaching, peer mentorship, and group activities.
HIV prevention, testing, and treat-
TMA’s immunization resources TMA’s Be Wise — ImmunizeSM
ment for infected individuals are priori- ties for Texas. “Advances in medical care enable peo-
program works with physicians,
medical students, and TMA Alliance members to improve vac- cination rates in Texas through education and hands-on im- munization clinics. Be Wise — Immunize is made possible via a grant from the TMA Foundation, thanks to top donors H-E-B and the TMF Health Quality Institute, as well as gifts from physi- cians and their families. To access immunization resources for physicians and information for patients, visit
www.texmed.org/ bewise.
Be Wise — Immunize is a service mark of the Texas Medical Association. 60 TEXAS MEDICINE March 2014
ple with HIV to stay healthy and live lon- ger. With access to effective treatment, the death rate among people with HIV infection has decreased dramatically,” Dr. Lakey said. Dr. Carlo says that while 72,932 HIV-
infected Texans out of 26 million resi- dents may not sound like a lot, each case of HIV and AIDS is costly. “For example, a month’s supply of an-
ti-HIV medication can cost upwards of $20,000. As most people living with HIV are uninsured in Texas, the cost is sub- stantially covered through public assis-
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