Reducing HAIs in the practice

Long before COVID, hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) have been an ongoing problem all over North America and in Europe, and have been with us for centuries. Given the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) keeps tabs on HAIs in U.S. medical facilities, we have a considerable amount of data telling us when, where, and in what numbers they occur. Approximately five percent of all patients in U.S. hospitals develop a hospital-acquired infection and of that number, nearly 100,000 people die. Further, human HAIs account for as much as $45 billion in direct and indirect costs. Since many insurance companies will not reimburse hospitals or health-care centers for HAIs, these costs are often passed on directly to the health-care provide...