Personal Injury Law

Private Rooms Cut Patient Infections, Study Shows

By Jamie G. Goldstein

A new study, 'Infection Acquisition Following Intensive Care Unit Room Privatization,' is helping shed light on how dangerous and sometimes fatal hospital infections can be prevented. The Center for Disease control estimates that as many as 1 in 20 patients can acquire an infection during a hospital stay.

The study, from the McGill University Health Center and published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, shows that keeping patients in separate, private rooms is important in reducing hospital-acquired infections. Eliminating these infections can reduce healthcare costs and save lives. Statistics for three common types of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), C-difficile and Enterococcus (VRE)) typically transmitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) were reduced by a staggering 50 percent after switching patients from multiple to single bed rooms. Additionally, a 10 percent reduction in the length of hospital stays was reported. Although keeping patients in their own rooms may cost extra, each prevented hospital acquired infection saves the healthcare system thousands of dollars.

Although other factors such as healthcare worker hygiene and hospital sterilization are also important, this study sheds new light on how to combat infections that still are running rampant throughout the United States and the world.

States are taking individual action to cut down on infection rates. A new Kentucky bill would require hospitals in the state to implement an infection prevention program as well as require hospitals to report all infections acquired during their stay which cost the state around $400 million dollars per year and cause an estimate 1,400 deaths. However, this study suggests that hospitals should invest in infrastructures that can provide for patients individually if they are serious about eliminating the risk of these infections.

Full post as published by Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer on January 24, 2011 (boomark / email).