HHS launches campaign to combat hospital infections

WASHINGTON The Department of Health and Human Services has launched a campaign to prevent infections in hospitals resulting from improper use of catheters and other causes.

HHS released a report Tuesday recommending that hospitals use catheters only for appropriate problems and time periods, and only allow trained professionals to insert them. It also said that Clostridium difficile and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureas contribute significantly to the problem.

Nearly 100,000 people die from hospital infections each year in the United States.