Avoiding the Unnecessary Costs of Hospital-Acquired Infections

The Question

Why do hospital-acquired infections persist even though there is ample evidence on how to prevent them from occurring?

What we found

Because hospitals do not bear the substantial costs of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), they are not motivated to pursue infection prevention and control strategies.  Creating incentives for hospitals to focus on infection control–for example by encouraging the development of public reporting programs, denying reimbursement for HAIs, and motivating prudent antibiotic use–could reduce the unnecessary costs of these infections.

Why it matters

Hospital-acquired infections result in unnecessary costs to society and preventable deaths. In 2006 alone, some 290,000 people contracted bloodstream infections (sepsis) and another 200,000 caught pneumonia while in U.S. hospitals, resulting in extended hospital stays, $8.1 billion in additional costs, and 48,000 deaths.