Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection Misclassifications—Rethinking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection Definition and Its Implications

Abstract

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services imparts financial penalties for central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and other healthcare-acquired infections. Data for this purpose is obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s National Health Safety Network. We present examples of misclassification of bloodstream infections into CLABSI by the CDC’s definition and present the financial implications of such misclassification and potential long-term implications.