[AVBC 2025] Towards Elimination of Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections in the Intensive Care Units
Care Process & Redesign
Appropriate & Value-based Care Conference
National Healthcare Group
3 November 2025
To reduce all ICUs Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) rate by 50% over a sustained period. The interventions led to a significant reduction in CLABSI rates, achieving the project aim of a 50% reduction.
Year Submitted: 2025
Published Date: 03 November 2025
Tags: Care Process ＆ Redesign, Quality Improvement, Workflow Redesign, Cost Saving, Value Based Care, Safe Care, Risk Management
About this Content
Aims
To reduce all ICUs Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) rate by 50% over a sustained period.
Background
Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) are associated with increased morbidity, hospital length of stay and healthcare costs. The implementation of full barrier precautions and a Central Line Insertion Credentialling Programme made significant impact on the ICU CLABSI rates in the hospital in 2016/7. The Improvement in CLABSI rates for AY 2018 - 2020 plateaued after these measures.
Methods
Interventions were implemented in one ICU as the pilot site and if found to be effective were spread to other ICUs. Empower nurses to prompt review of lines 14 days, documentation of daily line review, STOP CLABSI Poster, On-the-Floor Supervision by Trained Seniors, Just-in-time Onboarding of MOs, CVC PPE Poster, Central Line Insertion Audit, Central Line Maintenance Audit, Performance Feedback & Learning, CLABSI chart on display in tea room, Octenisan Wipes for high risk patients.
Results
A significant reduction in CLABSI infections over the course of the project. CLABSI Rate per 1,000 central line days decreased to 0.00 in 2023 and 2024.
Conclusion
The interventions led to a significant reduction in CLABSI rates, achieving the project aim of a 50% reduction.
Lessons Learnt
The approach to containment of CLABSI rates is multidisciplinary. All staff need to feel that they have a stake in the outcome. Cases of CLABSI were painstakingly analyzed and a root cause analysis was undertaken to identify factors which led to the occurrence of each individual case. The results of the audits and CLABSI rates were regularly announced at nursing roll calls and department meetings, which lead to increased staff engagement and buy in.
Keywords
CLABSI, Infection Control, ICU, Healthcare Costs, Multidisciplinary
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | National Healthcare Group |
Organization(s) Involved | Tan Tock Seng Hospital |
Platform(s) | Appropriate & Value-based Care Conference |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Medical |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Infectious Diseases, Intensive Care Medicine |
Project Lead(s) | Sennen Lew |
Project Member(s) | Katherine Wong |
Connect with this contributor!
Dr Sennen Lew - sennen_jw_lew@ttsh.com.sg