Preventing Infection

Our Infection Control Team Includes:

  • Certified infection preventionists
  • A medical director who specializes in infectious diseases, and 
  • More than 30 trained infection control liaisons

This team carefully tracks and monitors our hospitals to help prevent hospital-associated infections. They work closely with public health agencies to protect the community and our patients.

Here are just a few of the measures we take to protect everyone at Cottage Health.

We wash our hands. This is a simple, but crucial, step in preventing infection. Our compliance record is consistently in the top 10th percentile nationwide.

We track our progress. Our infection rates are well below the national average.

We’re dedicated. We test patients pre-operatively for Staph to manage the bacteria before surgery.

We’re vigilant. We follow the care of every surgical patient for 90 days after an implant to watch for infection.

We want to completely eliminate infections. We have not had a case of ventilator pneumonia in the Medical Intensive Care Unit in more than four years or in the Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Units in five years. We have reduced central line-associated blood infections to zero in the PICU and NICU for more than a year.

We use the best technology. State-of-the-art UV lighting in air ducts throughout our hospitals keeps microbes from growing on air conditioning coils.

You Can Help

Adopt Healthy Habits

  • Get enough sleep
  • Eat a well-balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables
  • Drink plenty of fluids
  • Exercise regularly: moderate exercise boosts immunity
  • Reduce stress (with exercise, hobbies, meditation, etc)

Wash your hands frequently. During cold and flu season, touching computer keyboards, telephones, shopping carts, door handles and other surfaces can spread bacteria and viruses. Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth. Keep frequently touched surfaces clean.

Wash with soap and water for 15 seconds. Turn off the tap with a paper towel, otherwise you are just re-contaminating your hands. You can also use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, rubbing your hands until dry.

Carry hand sanitizer with you. Keep hand wipes in the car for when you pump gas or stop to get food.

Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and encourage others to do the same. Explain that if they cough into their sleeve or upper arm, they won't contaminate their hands.

Take time off if you are sick with a cold or flu. Avoid work, school and public places where you may spread germs to others, and encourage others to do the same when they are sick.

Be sure to get your flu shot and stay current on all vaccines.

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