Urinary Catheter Removed on Postoperative Day One or Postoperative Day Two (with Day of Surgery Being Day Zero)
Why Is This Important?
Sometimes surgical patients need to have a urinary catheter, or thin tube, inserted into their bladder to help drain the urine. Catheters are usually attached to a bag that collects the urine. Surgery patients can develop infections when urinary catheters are left in place too long after surgery. Infections are dangerous for patients, they cause longer hospital stays, and they increase costs. This measure shows the percent of surgery patients whose urinary catheters were removed on the first or second day after surgery. Research shows that most surgery patients should have their urinary catheters removed within two days after surgery to help prevent infection.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012
About This Graph
This measure indicates how often hospital staff removes urinary catheters on the first or second day after surgery. The graph compares UMass Memorial Medical Center performance with other Massachusetts and U.S. hospitals. Higher percentages are better. (Graph data: April 2011 – March 2012)
How Are We Doing?
Our goal is to reach 100 percent in this measure for all patients at all times. To that end, we continue to monitor our care to identify any incidences where we didn’t meet the standard. Every incidence when we don’t meet the standard is reviewed with a multidisciplinary team in order to identify barriers to care and implement processes to help us improve. Results are updated quarterly in order to provide the most up-to-date information.