Needed: CLABSI tune-up

We have blogged before about problems with NHSN HAI case definitions. For central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), a major problem is the lack of specicity of the definition, which many believe leads to an overestimation of the rate of these infections. In this month's Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology there is a commentary on the CLABSI definition by Dan Sexton that is well worth reading. He proposes some simple changes to the definition that would make a big difference in improving specificity.