Hospital Infections Are Major Cause of Medical Injuries, But Can be Prevented
Every year, approximately 2 million people contract an infection in a hospital. These infections are the cause of approximately 100,000 deaths every year. There’s one fact that Indiana medical malpractice lawyers know when they come across cases of hospital infections - these are all preventable.
The Wall Street Journal has compiled a list of ten steps to prevent hospital infections. The list includes inputs from doctors, nurses, their health care providers, administrators, the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths, and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. The list contains two parts - one for new technologies that promise great success in preventing infections, and the second part comprising basic simple tasks that don’t take much effort, but can dramatically cut down the risk of infection.
New Technologies
• An epidemiologist in Massachusetts has developed a florescent solution that can be sprayed in patients’ rooms after hospital cleaning crews have done their work, to check how many spots were missed. The fluorescent solution has helped increase cleanliness compliance rates from 44 percent to 77 percent.
• A John Hopkins team has developed a shower-like cubicle, containing a fogging mechanism that can be used to disinfect hospital equipment, including electro cardiogram wires.
• Computer software that can catch a sudden spike in a particular infection on one floor, can allow hospital authorities to zoom in on a potential source of infection. Staff can then take precautions to avoid a spread of the infection.
• Studies indicate that a mild antibacterial soap used for washing, can cut the risk of blood infections.
• Currently, 25 states require hospitals to report infection rates. That is a huge incentive for hospitals to take steps to cut down on their infection rates.
Basic Steps
• Hospital and staff must wash hands using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and these must be available easily and readily.
• Checklists can be used to ensure that hygiene procedures are followed strictly.
• Hospitals have begun to develop portable kits that contain all equipment needed for simple procedures, like changing a dressing. This minimizes the possibility of errors.
• Cleaning patient mouths can prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia which often occurs in the ICU.
• Quick diagnostic testing allows hospitals to identify infections within hours, instead of waiting for days to see the results.
