Hospital Infections Kill More Than Cars, AIDS, Breast Cancer

[Guest guest]

.......but not more than abortion.... still#1.. and not more than WAR..

Hospital infections kill millions Hospital Infections Kill More Than Cars,

AIDS, Breast Cancer (via www.rense.com)

Most telling, though, were the figures on patient deaths. The report said that

while 2.3 percent of patients who didn't acquire infections died, the mortality

rate for those who did contract infections was 12.9 percent - more than 5 times

as high.

By Dan Childs

ABC News Medical Unit

11-15-6

 

 

A hospital visit may be more dangerous to your health than you realize. Just ask

Ingrid Kwiatek, who came home from the hospital with a serious staph infection.

 

Kwiatek's husband said what started as a routine hospital visit turned into an

110-day nightmare of pain and suffering in three different Pennsylvania

hospitals.

 

" I would never wish this experience on anyone, " he said. " Especially distressing

was the closed-ranks attitude at all three hospitals in discussing the

infection. "

 

Following the incident, Kwiatek's family doctor had this to say: " Hospitals are

dirty places. "

 

The High Cost of Infections A new report released by the Pennsylvania Health

Care Cost Containment Council pointed to the high cost of these infections in

both dollars and lives.

 

The report - the first of its kind in the nation - identified the actual number

of infections reported by Pennsylvania's 168 hospitals, as well as other related

quality-of-care measures, in 2005.

 

The hospitals studied reported 19,154 cases in which patients contracted

hospital-acquired infections. The hospitalizations resulting from these

infections amounted to 394,129 hospital days and $3.5 billion in hospital

charges.

 

The average hospital charge for patients with a hospital-acquired infection was

$185,260, while the average charge for patients without hospital-acquired

infections was $31,389. The average length of stay for patients with

hospital-acquired infections was also longer at 20.6 days, compared with 4.5

days, for those who didn't contract hospital infections.

 

Most telling, though, were the figures on patient deaths. The report said that

while 2.3 percent of patients who didn't acquire infections died, the mortality

rate for those who did contract infections was 12.9 percent - more than 512

times as high.

 

" This report is a first. We are no longer looking at statistics based on

estimates or extrapolated data, " said Lisa McGiffert, director of Consumers

Union's Stop Hospital Infections campaign. " These are real people who suffered

from real infections. The personal and financial costs of hospital infections

are staggering. "

 

The Pennsylvania study did offer a few solutions. It said that doctors and other

hospital workers should wash their hands more regularly, use gloves and properly

sterilized equipment, and routinely follow established " best practices. " The

report also suggested that patients should follow the same guidelines and insist

that not only health care providers but visitors wash their hands too.

 

Shedding Light on Hospital Safety What adds to the problem, though, according to

health officials, is that most states are not required to report infections or

provide such information to the public.

 

" It's time to shine the light on this important and costly issue, " said Marc

Volavka, executive director of Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment

Council. " This will save thousands of Americans from the devastating effects of

hospital-acquired infections. "

 

Volavka said the report is a first step toward greater transparency.

 

" It's time that hospitals, patients and those who pay the bill know how many

patients develop hospital-acquired infections, the type of infections they

develop and the quality and cost implications, " Volavka said. " The more

information that becomes available, the better the focus will be on preventing

these infections. "

 

" Until now, consumers have been completely in the dark about their hospital's

record on infecting patients, " said Beth McConnell, director of the Pennsylvania

Public Interest Research Group Education Fund. " This report sheds light on a

very serious problem and will help the public hold hospitals accountable for

patient safety. "

also..Hospital infections kill millions HOSPITAL INFECTIONS KILL

MILLIONS. Friday, November 17, 2006 - FreeMarketNews.com LINKED NEWS ANALYSIS A

hospital visit may be more dangerous to your health ...

www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=26825 -

 

 

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