Building on an 'A' for Safety: FWMC Celebrates Infection Prevention Milestones

The only Leapfrog A-rated hospital in Prince George's County marks 1,000 days without a C. difficile infection, 600 days without a CAUTI

FORT WASHINGTON, Md., Aug. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The team at Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center (FWMC) is proud to announce two major patient safety milestones: over 1,000 consecutive days without a Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff infection, and over 600 days without a Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection, also known as CAUTI.

These achievements reflect the organization's unwavering commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care to every patient.

C. diff is a bacterium that can cause severe diarrhea and life-threatening inflammation of the colon, particularly in hospitalized patients or those receiving antibiotics. It is one of the most common healthcare-associated infections – also known as HAIs -- and can significantly impact patient recovery and hospital stays.

Reaching 1,000 days without a C. diff infection is a testament to FWMC's rigorous infection prevention protocols.

CAUTIs are another common HAI that makes prevention a critical priority for hospitals nationwide. Reaching 600 days without a single CAUTI event highlights FWMC's culture of accountability and continuous improvement, where every employee plays a role in safeguarding patients.

HAIs like C. diff and CAUTI are critical outcome measures in the scoring methodology conducted by The Leapfrog Group, a national healthcare watchdog organization that assigns hospital safety grades based on how well hospitals protect patients from errors, injuries and infections. These measures rely on standardized infection ratios, where lower infection rates translate into better scores and improved overall grades.

"Our success is built on collaboration," said Fiona McMahon, FWMC's director of Quality and Safety Services. "The exceptional guidance and leadership from our Infection Preventionist Tatyana Makarevich—combined with the dedication of our physicians, nurses, environmental services staff and support teams—has helped drive these outstanding patient safety outcomes. Every team member, every department and every patient interaction play a role in creating a safer hospital environment. These milestones belong to our entire team."

About Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center 

Part of the Adventist HealthCare system since 2019, Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center (FWMC) is an acute care hospital serving southern Prince George's County, Maryland. Recognized for excellence in patient safety and quality care, FWMC is the only hospital in Prince George's County to earn an "A" Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group. The hospital provides a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services, including emergency care, surgery, intensive care, laboratory and diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation, respiratory therapy and specialty physician services. With approximately 400 team members, FWMC is committed to expanding access to high-quality, compassionate care and improving the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

CONTACT: Sara Viscomi|301-315-3330
[email protected]

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/building-on-an-a-for-safety-fwmc-celebrates-infection-prevention-milestones-302842613.html

SOURCE Adventist HealthCare