Technician Ryan Lindner lays out sterile catheter tubes for an operation in the catheter lab at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
Medical centers are implementing safer practices, such as more rigorous hand washing, but those changes haven’t yielded significant progress on patient outcomes. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
Technician Ryan Lindner rinses his hands and arms up to the elbows for five minutes before an operation at Providence Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance, which has an A grade. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Robert Kolanz, right, dons a sterile mask before washing up for an operation at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. Behind him are technicians Fred Miller and Ryan Lindner. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
Dr. Robert Kolanz prepares for an operation at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
Technician Ryan Lindner lays out sterile supplies at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
Technician Ryan Lindner lays out sterile catheter tubes at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)
