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Preventable Hospital Infections

According to a survey conducted by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, a staggering 11,000 patients fell victim to infections during stays in the hospital in 2004. Another 1,500 patients died as a result of those infections. Those numbers only reflect the hospital acquired infection affecting patients in Pennsylvania hospitals -- the nationwide statistics would assumedly be much, much higher therefore.

Why does this information matter to Kansas and Missouri residents? So far, Pennsylvania is the only state to conduct information on statewide statistics. The numbers reflected in the Pennsylvania report should give pause to those in states across the country.

Infections acquired in the hospital cost money. According to the Pennsylvania report, the price tag on those infections topped out at $2 billion in additional hospital bills and over 200,000 more days in the hospital. The financial toll these infections place on unwitting patients is overwhelming.

The Pennsylvania report does something few other studies have ever accomplished: It places hard data in front of the public. Many estimate that the numbers could be even higher than reflected in the report due to underreporting. What does this mean for the average health care consumer?

In addition to the numbers of patients reported, the state of Pennsylvania also began tracking the infections most commonly acquired in the hospital. Hospitals are now required to report numbers in each of the following categories: postoperative surgical infections, urinary tract infections (UTI), infections in the bloodstream, and pneumonia. This data revealed that drug resistant staph infections occurred most often in patients who contracted a UTI. The most common place patients came into contact with the bacteria was through catheters. Further, pneumonia was most often developed in patients while they were on a ventilator, accounting for over 30 percent of all occurences.

Undoubtedly, more needs to be done by hospital staff and health care workers to slow the spread of very preventable infections - but, how? Common sense practices like regular hand washing and adequately cleaning hospital surfaces and fixtures is the best place to begin. Patients who are attached to ventilators can be protected from infections by health care workers simply elevating their heads, and giving them a few minutes each day to breathe on their own off of the vent.

The lessons from the Pennsylvania study are clear. Hospitals and other health care facilities need to do more to proactively fight the spread of infections in the very place patients go to restore their health. If you or a loved one has suffered an infection in the hospital, and you believe negligence was the cause, the Kansas City medical malpractice attorneys at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys offer an initial obligation without cost or obligation to you. Call Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys ar 888-348-2616 for more information. You can also access the resource guide The Truth About Medical Malpractice Claims for more information.

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