More Than 100,000 People Die EVERY Year in the U.S. Because of Hospital-Acquired Infections

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Date Posted: December 13, 2006
More Than 100,000 People Die EVERY Year in the U.S. Because of Hospital-Acquired Infections
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More Than 100,000 People Die EVERY Year in the U.S. Because of Hospital-Acquired Infections


A new study proves false the conventional assumption that hospitals make more money on patients who fall ill with hospital-acquired infections. As it turns out, the higher payments do not cover the additional costs.

They study showed an average $26,839 loss for each patient who came down with "central-line-associated" bloodstream infection. A central line is a catheter placed into a vein to provide medication.

Hospital-acquired infections affect roughly 2 million patients each year, and approximately 100,000 die from them.

Recent studies have also shown that such infections are not a normal side-effect of caring for the seriously ill, but are generally caused by poor medical care.
American Journal of Medical Quality 21(6): 7S-16S Free Full-Text PDF

USA Today November 21, 2006