Healthcare Associated Infections

Healthcare Associated Infections

Introduction

Noteworthy economic consequences are caused by healthcare associated infections on the healthcare system of nation. They are the reason for critical morbidity and mortality. Acknowledgment of the economic burden due to increasing cost associated with it has lead to the adaptation of new initiatives to advocate adherence to the suggested prevention practices of infection and new researches in order to gain better understanding regarding the pathogenesis of healthcare associated infections. Even though considerable progress has been made in this regards many new opportunities of improvement still exist. Finest protection of the individuals from the potential harms connected with HAIs calls not only for the allocation of ample fiscal resources but also for significant commitment to excellence among the health care providers.

The following document talks about the economic affect of healthcare associated infections and intend to explore the factors associated with it along with the considerate preventive measures.

Thesis Statement

“Surgical site infection is one of the most common complications in surgical patients”

Discussion

Health care associated infections also known as hospital and nosocomial infections, impinge on patients in the hospital or within health care facility and are not seem to incubate or present in the patient at the time of admission. Infections acquired by individuals in the hospital but appearance of which are seen after discharge are also included. Occupational infections among staff are also included in Health care associated infections.

They also include infections acquired by patients in the hospital or facility but appearing after discharge, and occupational infections among staff.

The fact sheet

The heath care associated infections are the major event within the international health care framework, having frequent adverse impacts on it. Millions of individuals are affected by HIAs worldwide every year, escorting to noteworthy increase in mortality and financial loses for health care systems. Of every 100 hospitalized patients at any given time, 7 in developed and 10 in developing countries will acquire at least one health care-associated infection (WHO).

The endemic burden of HAIs is considerably higher in middle and low income countries rather than in high income countries, particularly in patients admitted to intensive care units. In high income countries Urinary tract infections are the most frequent HAIs, however surgical site infection still remains the primary infection in healthcare setups with narrow resources, affecting the quality of life of approximately one third of the patients operated. In under developed or developing countries this is nine times higher than developed countries. In countries with high income, around thirty percent of the patients admitted in intensive care Units are influenced by at least one health care associated infection. However in lower income countries the ration is multiplied and is 3 folds higher.

Impact of Health Care Associated Infections

There are basically three broad components that comprise the socio-economic costs of HAI. These include: non-medical costs, the indirect costs associated with productivity and direct medical costs (Scott, 2009). The indescribable costs associated with diminished quality of life cannot be avoided too. Majority of the literature, however, covers the analyses on ...