SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital has been recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review for not having any cases of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). According to data collected by the CMS, only 11 hospitals in Wisconsin have a CAUTI infection rate of zero.

The Healthcare Associated Infections-Hospital database uses measures, developed by the CDC and collected through the National Healthcare Safety Network, that show how often patients contract certain infections during the course of medical treatment. Data was collected from January to December 2024 and was last updated October 14.

“We are proud to be recognized among the top-performing hospitals in the country for infection prevention,” according to Megan Blonigen, an SSM Health infection preventionist. “Delivering zero CAUTIs is a testament to the dedication of our care teams and reflects our commitment to infection prevention protocols – because every patient deserves the safest experience possible.”

A total of 518 U.S. hospitals have a catheter-associated urinary tract infection rate of zero, based on the healthcare-associated infections dataset from CMS.

The CDC calculates a standardized infection ratio, which may take into account care location, number of patients with an existing infection, lab methods, hospital affiliation with a medical school, hospital bed size, patient age, and patient health. The measures apply to all patients treated in acute care hospitals, including adult, pediatric, neonatal, Medicare and non-Medicare patients, according to the CMS data dictionary.

SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital’s designation as a zero-CAUTI hospital is a critical marker of patient safety, as well as a powerful demonstration of community-focused care and clinical excellence.