We will improve patient safety by creating, sharing and spreading innovative, high-quality original PICC research 

Use of PICCs in Hospitalized Medical Patients

Although PICCs are used in almost every US hospital, little is known about patterns or outcomes associated with PICCs. Through close partnership with the Michigan Hospital Medicine Safety Consortium, our team helps lead a Michigan-wide initiative that is evaluating use of PICCs in hospitals across the State. This work has lead to several important insights including the fact that up to 25% of PICCs are used for less than 5 days in Michigan hospitals. Read more about this project here.

PICC-Associated Complications

Our research group has been interested in understanding the risk of important PICC complications including central line-associated bloodstream infection and venous thromboembolism. We have conducted multiple studies to understand risk, rates and factors associated with these adverse events. Read more about some of our important findings here.

Innovations to Improve Use of PICCs and Outcomes

By understanding current use of PICCs and complications, we seek to devise, test and implement hospital-wide solutions that improve the safety of patients who receive PICCs. One such recent innovation is the Michigan Appropriateness Guide for Intravenous Catheters (MAGIC), which defines when it is appropriate to place a PICC vs. another vascular access device. Read more about MAGIC here.