Infection Prevention

UPMC’s Infection Prevention and Control Program follows evidence-based practices to prevent health care-associated infections (HAIs).

What Are Health Care-Associated Infections?

HAIs are infections that happen amid treatment at a health care clinic. They can get into your:

Bloodstream.
Digestive tract.
Lungs.
Skin.
Urinary tract.

HAIs can make you very sick. These infections are also very hard to treat and can stay with you for a long time. In the worst cases, HAIs can lead to death.

Hospitals use a standardized infection ratio (SIR) to monitor their HAIs. This happens as follows:

The SIR compares a hospital’s number of infections with an expected number of infections. It does this after taking into account factors such as hospital size and type of care involved.
Hospitals with a SIR of less than 1 have fewer infections than expected. Hospitals with a SIR of greater than 1 have more infections than expected.
SIR numbers aren't always exact and may rise and fall. This is especially true for smaller hospitals.
Sometimes, the SIR won't come up if the number of people observed in the monitored time is too low to calculate a value.

Learn more about UPMC’s efforts to prevent HAIs here:

What Steps You Can Take

Stopping the spread of germs and infections is the goal of UPMC’s Infection Prevention and Control Program.

Here are some crucial steps you and your visitors can take to help.

Wash your hands often

This is the most vital thing you can do to stop the spread of germs and infections. Hand washing sinks and hand sanitizer dispensers are readily available throughout UPMC.

Use soap and water to wash your hands if you touch surfaces contaminated with blood or body fluids. This also applies to bathroom surfaces, bedpans, dressings, or other soiled items.

You can use hand sanitizer if you haven't visibly soiled your hands.

Ask to mask

Although masking may or may not be a requirement in the hospital during your visit, you can ask any staff or visitor in your room to mask at any time. Masks are readily available throughout UPMC.

Discourage visitors who are sick

If your family or friends are feeling ill, please ask them not to come to the hospital to visit you.

Contain coughing or sneezing

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve (elbow). Always wash your hands after you cough or sneeze and use a tissue.

Expect precautions

Our health care workers may wear gloves, gowns, masks, or eye protection while caring for you. Washing hands and cleaning surfaces are also standard precautions.

Sometimes, special precautions are necessary to prevent infection. Health care workers will wear gloves, gowns, or masks, depending on the germ. If needed, your family and other visitors may also have to wear gloves, gowns, or masks to keep everyone safe.