Collaborative home health work earns national recognition for patient safety

A focused, highly collaborative effort led by Brittany Crumpacker, senior infection preventionist, is helping reduce serious infections among some of IU Health’s most medically complex patients and earning national recognition in the process.

In early 2024, Crumpacker helped launch a systemwide initiative to reduce central line associated bloodstream infections, commonly known as CLABSIs, among home health patients. The work centered primarily on pediatric patients with short bowel syndrome who require total parenteral nutrition and face an elevated risk of infection.

By the end of 2025, IU Health reduced overall CLABSI cases among home health patients by 50%. Pediatric cases dropped by 60%, a statistically significant improvement that reflects meaningful reductions in patient harm.

Crumpacker led the work in partnership with Shelly Maersch, executive director of home health and hospice, home care pharmacy colleagues, the pediatric GI team at Riley Hospital for Children, system infection prevention leaders and the Redcrest nursing team. Together, the group identified gaps in education, home practices and supply consistency, then implemented targeted, practical solutions designed to better support families at home.

“These are already complicated disease processes,” Crumpacker says. “If we can reduce even one serious complication, that makes a real difference in a child’s life and for their family.”

Crumpacker summarized the project and outcomes in Beyond the Bundle: CLABSI Reduction in the Home Setting for Pediatric Short Bowel Syndrome Patients. The abstract was accepted for oral presentation at the APIC26 Annual Conference and Expo in Nashville and selected for The Blue Ribbon Abstract Award. Co-author Ava Slowey, infection preventionist, contributed data analysis and writing support.

For Crumpacker, the recognition reflects the strength of shared ownership and sustained teamwork focused on patient safety.

“This work would not be possible without collaboration,” she says. “It shows what can happen when teams are aligned around the same goal.”

At IU Health, patient safety is guided by measurable results. Explore how we track outcomes and work toward zero harm.