Each day, about 1 in 32 U.S. patients contract at least one healthcare-associated infection, according to the CDC.

That figure may change, however, as infection prevention efforts improve. Between 2022 and 2023, the standardized infection ratio for five ARIs decreased in acute care hospitals, the agency said in its annual progress report on national and state healthcare-associated infections.

Compared to 2022, 30 states improved their performance on at least two HAIs, while two states performed worse, the report said. Compared to the 2015 benchmark, a SIR of 1.49 states outperformed on at least three HAIs.

The results:

• Resistant to methicillin Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream events – 16% decrease.
• Central line associated bloodstream infections – 15% decrease.
• Clostridioides difficile events — down 13%.
• Catheter-associated urinary tract infections — down 11%.
• Ventilator-related events — 5% decrease.
• Surgical site infections in colon surgery – no statistically significant change
• Surgical site infections in abdominal hysterectomies — up 8%.

In inpatient rehabilitation facilities, CAUTI rates increased by 8% while C. diff infections decreased by 14%. Long-term acute care hospitals, where the average length of stay is 25 days, also saw a 13% decrease in C. diff evenimente.