Spread of HAIs Rapidly Becomes $45B National Crisis

Fierce Healthcare has;
Spread of HAIs Rapidly Becomes $45B National Crisis

Resistance to antibiotics is a major threat, experts say

July 23, 2013 | By Ilene MacDonald

Hospital-acquired infections are spreading at an alarming rate, with 1.7 million Americans developing them each year at a cost of up to $45 billion, according to the Alliance for Aging Research.

The deadly and costly infections are becoming a national crisis, medical experts said during a call-in event Monday announcing the Alliance's release of a new fact sheet about the growing problem. An estimated 99,000 people die from these infections each year and the numbers are expected to grow as the rate of infection rises and more Americans develop resistance to antibiotics.

The cost of these infections or HAIs to U.S. hospitals alone is estimated at $28.4 billion to $45 billion annually, according to the Alliance. 

"This is an issue that is especially critical for older adults who often have compromised immune systems, pay more visits to hospitals and doctor's offices, and suffer from comorbidities that complicate outcomes," said Lindsay Clarke, J.D., vice president of health programs at the Alliance, in the announcement. "We simply cannot afford to continue on our current path of mounting infections and resistance."

Nearly 45 percent of these infections occur in patients older than 65, Thomas File, M.D, president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, said in a MedPage Today article. "When infections do occur in the older population, the burden of illness is high and often the outcome is less favorable," File said.

The rate of infection in the elderly is a growing concern because 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day, according to MedPage Today. The medical experts on the call urged the healthcare industry to conduct more research to understand these HAIs outside the intensive care units and on cancer patients and the elderly, the article said.

In addition, experts worry about the rise in antibiotic resistance. Approximately 70 percent of hospital-acquired infections are resistant to at least one antimicrobial drug, according to the fact sheet.

The most common types of HAIs are bloodstream infections related to central lines, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and surgical site infections, Medpage Today reported.

To learn more:
- here is the Alliance announcement and fact sheet (.pdf)
- read the MedPage Today article

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Thank You Fierce Healthcare and Ms McDonald


Been to a HC facility lately? Used the rest room?

These people are So brilliant that they need Signs hanging in the rest rooms to remind them to Wash Their Hands.

And you wonder how Psychic medicine continues to thrive among them.

Jeezus.

Hospital Acquired Infections: 4th Leading Cause Of Death In US

Fierce Healthcare has;

Rampant Healthcare Acquired Infections Call For Transparency, Health Information Technology

July 14, 2011 — 12:46pm ET | By Karen M. Cheung

Staggering rates of healthcare-acquired infections (HAI) require hospitals and health systems to implement health IT, as well as transparency, according to a GE white paper released today.

As the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., HAIs affect one in 20 patients, that is, 1.7 million inpatients each year, according to the report.

"The total cost added to the system can't be ignored," added Mark Segal, co-author and vice president of government and industry affairs at GE Healthcare IT, in a press release. "As the government grapples with controlling healthcare costs, reducing HAIs offers a very real opportunity to reduce operating costs while maximizing reimbursements and avoiding future penalties."

HAIs cost the healthcare system $35 to $88 billion each year, averaging about $1,100 per admitted patient, according to the report.

Since the landmark report in 2000 by the Institute of Medicine and at the urging of national initiatives, Medicare will not reimburse for falls, retained foreign objects, air embolism, among other healthcare-acquired conditions. The shift in reimbursements is one that many institutions are taking to heart, acknowledging HAIs are unacceptable, as CMS Administrator Don Berwick once called it.

"[T]here is good news: there's no need to 'search for a cure.' Instead, hospitals now can implement proven interventions to reduce the number of HAIs," states the white paper.

Hospital leaders are likely to pay even more attention to HAIs, knowing that the institution's reputation is on the line. More consumers today are looking at publicly available data to base their patient care choices, according to the report.

To combat HAIs, the report calls on institutions to make HAIs a top priority to drive change, using guidelines and technology. Hospitals are currently experimenting with innovative ways to reduce HAIs, such as using copper surfaces to cut bacteria, buying ultra-hand sanitizer, or duct taping safe zones for isolating patients.

"It is hospitals and healthcare professionals who must act to create the needed changes. They must apply the leadership, technology and safe practices necessary to the HAI challenge, focusing on changes to the systemic and cultural factors that have allowed HAIs to remain a very serious and expensive healthcare problem," states the report.

For more:
- read the GE press release
- see the full report
- check out the infographic of the statistics

Related Articles:
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Top teaching hospitals fall from grace with high infection rates
Outlawing ties and watches for the sake of patient safety
Heavy drinkers more likely to incur healthcare-acquired infections
Hospital infection care differs for children, adults

• States may publish more doctor disciplinary records
• Heavy drinkers more likely to incur healthcare-associated infections
• Hospital infection care differs for children, adults
• Grassley bill pushes for transparency in physician billing
• Two-thirds of healthcare workers ignore skin antisepsis guidelines
• Are user-friendly hospital charges an oxymoron?
• Better-informed patients might spend less on healthcare
• Study shows nonprofit hospitals under-publicize charity care
• More media outlets demanding transparency in health reform talks
• C-SPAN urges Congress to televise final healthcare debates

Thank You Fierce Healthcare and Ms Cheung

Apparently these Purchasers of Pharmaceutically, Financially Corrupted Work Licenses, never Heard of Joseph Lister

And we differ in the most unequivocal of terms with the very Concept of yet More Healthcare IT, Patient Tracking, Illegal Snooping into patients/disposable Profit units Lives/Medical Records.

http://psychroaches.blogspot.com/2010/12/depression-screening-electronic-records.html

These Infections and Deaths are completely preventable. Therefore, they fall under the Psychiatric Bullshit called BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE. As Such, Every HC Worker responsible FOR These Murderous Screw-Ups is 'Mentally Ill', ....... FOREVER, ...... & in Desperate need of being Poisoned & Electrocuted out of their BEHAVIORS.

Except, ...... that by Purchasing their Work License at a Pharma Corrupted University;

http://psychroaches.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-next-page-from-daily-beast-pegs.html

They're all ILLEGALLY Exempt, from having to even be Officially Identified with their own Incurable, Medicare & Medicaid raiding behavioral slime.

The only BEHAVIORS which are actually Lawful to inflict Any type of legally binding disability for, are already codified in our Criminal & Civil Codes.