In spite of more than a decade of preventative measures, hospitals have failed to reduce their rate of hospital-acquired infections, many of which can be fatal. According to the Department of Health and Human Services 2009 quality report to Congress, in five major areas of hospital-acquired infections, rates of infections in three categories actually increased. In only one area did hospitals improve their performance, while one area remained constant.
It is estimated that hospital-acquired infections are responsible for up to 98,000 deaths per year (almost 270 per day), and in many areas hospitals don't seem to be getting better. Rates of post-surgery bloodstream infections rose by 8 percent, urinary infections from catheter use increased by 3.6 percent, and common infections from standard medical care increased by 1.6 percent. The lone improvement for hospitals was in the area of post-surgery pneumonia, which fell by 12 percent. The incidence rate of bloodstream infections caused by central venous catheters, the most dangerous infection due to its rate of fatality, remained constant.
According to Kathleen Sebelius, Heath and Human Services Secretary, the report was "a pretty clear diagnosis of some of the gaps and shortcomings in our nation's health care system." Once the new health care bill goes into effect, there will be financial repercussions for hospitals that fail to improve in these areas. One of the aspects of the bill was a penalty of lowered reimbursements for hospitals that readmit patients for preventable infections that could have been prevented.
There are two main reasons hospital-acquired infections are so worrisome. The first is that the patients who become infected are already in a weakened state. Second, the types of infections they receive are often strengthened against common antibiotics, and so often harsher treatment methods are necessary.
How are hospital-acquired infections spread? Often it is from contaminated medical equipment or from the hands of health care workers. After surgery, infections arise from contaminated dressings. Prolonged bed rest is also a trigger. Finally, intubation, whether from a catheter, gastric tubes or intravenous procedures (blood or medicine), is also an area that carries increased risk.
What can hospital patients and their loved ones do about hospital-acquired infections? Watch care givers closely. Are doctors and nurses washing their hands regularly? Is a stethoscope wiped off before being used? Are areas of the hospital (corners, window sills) being wiped down? Any area that could be incubating bacteria likely is, or at least that is the assumption to make. A cleaner environment is a safer one, and that is particularly true for a hospital patient.
