Prior Work

In 2009 we initiated a study to assess the impact of Medicare's policy of adjusting payment for healthcare-associated infections (HAI) on health outcomes and costs in U.S. hospitals. Our prior grant aims and the publications resulting from this collaboration are listed below.

• Aim 1: To evaluate the impact of the CMS policy on HAI "billing" rates reported by Medicare
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• Aim 2: To evaluate the impact of the CMS policy on "true infection" rates reported through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN)
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• Aim 3: To explore whether the CMS policy reduces both billing and true infection rates in hospitals
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• Aim 4: To assess whether reduced reimbursement for HAIs as a result of NPPC disproportionately affects hospitals that care for a high proportion of poor and minority patients

Publications & Presentations

Effect of Nonpayment for Preventable Infections in U.S. Hospitals

Grace M. Lee, M.D., M.P.H., Ken Kleinman, Sc.D., Stephen B. Soumerai, Sc.D., Alison Tse, Sc.D., David Cole, B.M., Scott K. Fridkin, M.D., Teresa Horan, M.P.H., Richard Platt, M.D., Charlene Gay, B.A., William Kassler, M.D., M.P.H., Donald A. Goldmann, M.D., John Jernigan, M.D., and Ashish K. Jha, M.D., M.P.H. Effect of Nonpayment for Preventable Infections in U.S. Hospitals. N Engl J Med. 2012 Oct: 367:1428-37.

Impact of Medicare's Payment Policy on Mediastinitis Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery in US Hospitals.

Michael S. Calderwood, M.D., Ken Kleinman, Sc.D., Stephen B. Soumerai, Sc.D., Robert Jin, M.S., Charlene Gay, B.A., Richard Platt, M.D., William Kassler, M.D., M.P.H., Donald A. Goldmann, M.D., Ashish K. Jha, M.D., M.P.H. and Grace M. Lee, M.D., M.P.H. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2014 Feb: 35(2):144-51.

Health Care-Associated Infections Among Critically Ill Children in the US, 2007–2012

Stephen W. Patrick, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., Alison Tse Kawai, Sc.D., Ken Kleinman, Sc.D., Robert Jin, M.S., Louise Vaz, M.D., M.P.H., Charlene Gay, B.A., William Kassler, M.D., M.P.H., Don Goldmann, M.D. and Grace M. Lee, M.D., M.P.H. Pediatrics. 2014 Oct. 134(4): 705-712.

Impact of Medicare's Hospital-Acquired Condition Policy on Infections in Safety Net and Non–Safety Net Hospitals.

Louise Elaine Vaz, M.D., M.P.H., Kenneth P. Kleinman, Sc.D., Alison Tse Kawai, Sc.D., Robert Jin, M.S., William J. Kassler, M.D., Patricia S. Grant, R.N., B.S.N., M.S., Melisa D. Rett, M.P.H., Donald A. Goldmann, M.D., Michael S. Calderwood, M.D., M.P.H., Stephen B. Soumerai, Sc.D., and Grace M. Lee, M.D., M.P.H. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2015 Mar. doi:10.1017/ice.2015.38.

Impact of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital-Acquired Conditions Policy on Billing Rates for 2 Targeted Healthcare-Associated Infections.

Alison Tse Kawai, Sc.D., Michael S. Calderwood, M.D., M.P.H., Robert Jin, M.S., Stephen B. Soumerai, Sc.D., Louise E. Vaz, M.D., M.P.H., Donald Goldmann, M.D., Grace M. Lee, M.D., M.P.H. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2015 Apr. doi:10.1017/ice.2015.86

Impact of Hospital Operating Margin on Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections following Medicare's Hospital-Acquired Conditions Payment Policy

Michael S. Calderwood, Louise E. Vaz, Alison Tse Kawai, Robert Jin, Melisa D. Rett, Patricia S. Grant, Grace M. Lee. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2015. doi:10.1017/ice.2015.250.

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