According to the latest statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at any given time, one in every 20 patients admitted in a hospital is suffering from a hospital acquired infection. This causes a loss of almost $33 billion and leads to the death of around 99,000 persons in the U.S. every year. A recent study conducted in the pediatric Intensive Care Unit at North Carolina Children’s Hospital has found that introducing simple infection control measures in hospitals can save this unnecessary expenditure as well as reduce the loss of precious human life.
The two measures, recommended by the researchers of the above mentioned study include were strict enforcement of standard hand hygiene practices on the unit and implementing measures to prevent ventilator associated pneumonias. All unit members should disinfect their hands before touching any contaminated surface or body fluid by washing them with soap and running water or with the help of an alcohol based rub. Ventilator associated pneumonias can be prevented by keeping the patients head elevated, assessing at regular intervals the possibility of weaning the patient off the ventilator, and paying attention to patients oral hygiene. Another important step in preventing hospital acquired infections is the proper use and maintenance of central-line catheters. They should be introduced under full aseptic conditions and their utility and necessity should be assessed regularly
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The study, which has been published in the September 2011 issue of Health Affairs, has found that compared to the expenses involved in practicing these simple measures, the amount saved in unnecessary expenditure in treating patient s with hospital acquired infections is huge. Oral kits cost no more than $21 per day and antiseptic patches and sanitizers cost no more than 60 cents per day. However, implementing these three measures can save about $ 12 million per hospital per year. Apart from the expenditure saved, a number of lives are also saved.
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