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Mission: The Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths (RID) is a national campaign to stop hospital infections. RID guides patients on the things they can do before, during and after a hospital stay to avoid contracting an infection. RID also visits hospitals and nursing homes, lecturing healthcare personnel and patients, in an effort to share and teach their lifesaving steps. Thirty-three million people go to the hospital every year in the United States and RID's goal is to reach them and save lives.
Results: RID has guided patients on the things they can do to avoid infection. In addition, we have worked with hospital and nursing home decision makers to improve protocols and prevent doctors and nurses from spreading bacteria as they move from patient to patient. RID has made a compelling business case, quantifying the cost of treating infections and showing that prevention improves the bottom line. RID went to the White House and convinced policymakers that Medicare should stop paying hospitals to treat infections that they caused. This change has proved to be a major incentive for safer care. When RID was founded in 2005, not one state required hospitals to disclose their infection rates, but now 37 do. RID serves the nation, encouraging visitors to its website, offering lectures and doing national radio and TV appearances to further get out our message of clean and safe care.
Target demographics: Reduce Infection Deaths
Direct beneficiaries per year: As many as 33 million people who sought out hospital care
Geographic areas served: The United States
Programs: Sharing steps and valuable information that patients and hospital workers can do to reduce the risk of passing on a hospital acquired infection.