Lives and money are saved with infection prevention programs. A recent study released last week by the CDC demonstrates that patients who had infections while in an intensive care unit were 35% more likely to die within the following 5 years. It is a very powerful study and one that should be a red flag to hospitals across the nation.
However, according to The Miami Herald, "nationally 23 percent of hospitals that reported data to the CDC fell below national benchmarks in preventing one or more of the six types of infection." More needs to be done to prevent infections in healthcare facilities today.
Even one health care acquired infection is one too many.
Even one health care acquired infection is one too many. Measures to prevent infections work and are very cost effective. In fact, the study showed that infection prevention can save over $174,000 per patient! These preventive measures need to be consistently applied - which is not easy...but no one ever-said nursing was easy.
Preventing infections takes a variety of interventions and we at Fitsi Health, LLC believe that patients should be involved in the prevention measures. Let's help patients wash their hands! Let's prevent infections, save lives and money!
To your health!
Kathy, RN