For nine years in a row, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) has an infection rate that is significantly lower than the New York State average for hip replacement or revision surgeries, according to the 2016 report on hospital infection rates that was just released by the State Department of Health.

"Patients must consider multiple factors when choosing a surgical care provider including a center’s infection rate," said Louis A. Shapiro, president and CEO at HSS. "We believe that our unwavering focus on infection control at every stage of contact is why HSS continues to maintain a very low infection rate compared to other hospitals."

Surgeons at HSS performed the most hip replacement surgeries in New York State, with nearly 5,337 procedures, which is about 16 percent of the approximate 33,723 hip replacement or revision procedures in New York State in 2016. Among the 157 hospitals included in the report, HSS has consistently performed better than our peers for total hip replacement or revision hip procedures.

"HSS performs more than 30,000 surgical procedures a year and we’re constantly finding ways to measure and improve our best practices to deliver the highest quality musculoskeletal care," said Todd J. Albert, MD, surgeon-in-chief and medical director at HSS. "We pioneered the use of regional anesthesia, a technique that reduces the chance of a surgical infection by 50 percent."

Specialization in orthopedic surgery allows HSS to improve efficiency in surgical settings within each operating room, lowering surgical times and improving safety. Numerous best practices include uniquely-designed operating rooms equipped with Plexiglas separation panels and high-tech air filtration systems; enhanced sterilization methods; disciplined staff infection control practices; patient education; and post-surgery, the operating rooms are meticulously cleaned above mandated protocols.

"Our perioperative teams are dedicated to working collaboratively in the operating room to improve efficiency and going the extra mile to limit infection risk for each and every patient," explained Eileen Finerty, RN, assistant vice president of Infection Control and Occupational Health.

New York State’s strict regulatory and surveillance systems require hospitals to report certain hospital-acquired infections to the State Department of Health. This year’s publication is the 10th report of hospital-acquired infections in New York State, but the 9th report to include hip replacement procedures. The report states that the data are made publically available each year to give people information about hospital performance that could help them make informed medical decisions.

View the full report from the New York State Department of Health at: https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/facilities/hospital/hospital_acquired_infections/2016/docs/hospital_acquired_infection_p1.pdf

See HSS initiatives towards providing the highest quality healthcare at: http://www.hss.edu/quality