Healthcare facilities invoke visions of fear and dread to many people. This fear is especially true in the African-American community. Many Black people wonder if the healthcare facility will do something to make their condition worse. The lack of trust between doctors and their black patients also contributes to this feeling. Jay Harold’s post, “Talking to Doctor Presents Challenges for African-American,” addresses this issue.
This post will focus on preventable infections unrelated to the illness that caused a visit to the healthcare facility. These infections are a major focus of government healthcare agencies. Reducing the incidence of these healthcare associated infections are tied to the reimbursement of healthcare facilities.
What are Healthcare-Associated Infections?
Healthcare-associated infections1 , or HAIs, are infections that people acquire while they are receiving treatment for another condition in a healthcare setting. Healthcare-associated infections can have devastating emotional, financial, and medical effects. Worst of all, they can be deadly.
These healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) include central line-associated bloodstream infections2 , catheter-associated urinary tract infections3 , and ventilator-associated pneumonia4 . Infections may also occur at surgery sites, known as surgical site infections5 .
These infections are not limited to hospitals. For example, in the past ten years alone, there have been more than 30 outbreaks of hepatitis B and hepatitis C in non-hospital healthcare settings such as outpatient clinics, dialysis centers, and long-term care facilities.
The Centers for Disease Control healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevalence survey provides an updated national estimate of the overall problem of HAIs in U.S. hospitals. Based on a large sample of U.S. acute care hospitals, the survey found that on any given day, about 1 in 25 hospital patients has, at least, one healthcare-associated infection. There were an estimated 722,000 HAIs in U.S acute care hospitals in 2011. About 75,000 hospital patients with HAIs died during their hospitalizations. More than half of all HAIs occurred outside of the intensive care unit.
What is a central line?
A central line (also known as a central venous catheter) is a catheter (tube) that doctors often place in a large vein in the neck, chest, or groin to give medication or fluids or to collect blood for medical tests. You may be familiar with intravenous catheters (also known as IVs) that are frequently used to give medicine or fluids into a vein near the skin’s surface (usually in the arm or hand), for short periods of time. Central lines are different from IVs because central lines access a major vein that is close to the heart and can remain in place for weeks or months and be much more likely to cause severe infection. Central lines are commonly used in intensive care units. Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) result in thousands of deaths each year and billions of dollars in added costs to the U.S. healthcare system, yet these infections are preventable.
Here are some ways patients can protect themselves from CLABSI6 :
- Research the hospital, if possible, to learn about its CLABSI rate.
- Speak up about any concerns so that healthcare personnel are reminded to follow the best infection prevention practices.
- Ask a healthcare provider if the central line is absolutely necessary. If so, ask them to help you understand the need for it and how long it will be in place.
- Pay attention to the bandage and the area around it. If the bandage comes off or if the bandage or area around it is wet or dirty, tell a healthcare worker right away.
- Don’t get the central line or the central line insertion site wet.
- Tell a healthcare worker if the area around the catheter is sore or red or if the patient has a fever or chills.
- Do not let any visitors touch the catheter or tubing.
- The patient should avoid touching the tubing as much as possible.
- In addition, everyone visiting the patient must wash their hands—before and after they visit.
Stats You need to know!
| HAI Estimates Occurring in US Acute Care Hospitals, 2011 | |
|---|---|
| Major Site of Infection | Estimated No. |
| Pneumonia | 157,500 |
| Gastrointestinal Illness | 123,100 |
| Urinary Tract Infections | 93,300 |
| Primary Bloodstream Infections | 71,900 |
| Surgical site infections from any inpatient surgery | 157,500 |
| Other types of infections | 118,500 |
| Estimated total number of infections in hospitals | 721,800 |
Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infections
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection involving any part of the urinary system, including urethra, bladder, ureters, and kidney. UTIs are the most common type of healthcare-associated infection reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Among UTIs acquired in the hospital, approximately 75% are associated with a urinary catheter, which is a tube inserted into the bladder through the urethra to drain urine. Between 15-25% of hospitalized patients receive urinary catheters during their hospital stay. The most important risk factor for developing a catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI) is a prolonged use of the urinary catheter. Therefore, catheters should only be used for appropriate indications and should be removed as soon as they are no longer needed. Click on the following link to learn the answers to frequently asked questions about Catheter-associated UTI’s.
Ventilator-associated Pneumonia
Ventilator-associated pneumonia is a lung infection that develops in a person who is on a ventilator. A ventilator is a machine that is used to help a patient breathe by giving oxygen through a tube placed in a patient’s mouth or nose, or through a hole in the front of the neck. An infection may occur if germs enter through the tube and get into the patient’s lungs. CDC provides guidelines and tools to the healthcare community to help end ventilator-associated pneumonia and resources to help the public understand these infections and take measures to safeguard their own health when possible. Click on the following link to learn the answers to frequently asked questions about Ventilator-associated Pneumonia.
Healthcare procedures can leave you vulnerable to germs that cause HAIs. These germs can be spread in healthcare settings from patient to patient on unclean hands of healthcare personnel or through the improper use or reuse of equipment.
These infections are not limited to hospitals. For example, in the past ten years alone, there have been more than 30 outbreaks of hepatitis B and hepatitis C in non-hospital healthcare settings such as outpatient clinics, dialysis centers, and long-term care facilities.
Surgical Site Infection
A surgical site infection is an infection that occurs after surgery on the part of the body where the surgery took place. Surgical site infections can sometimes be superficial infections involving the skin only. Other surgical site infections are more serious and can involve tissues under the skin, organs, or implanted material.
How do You Prevent Them?
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has developed a video and infographic chart to help you learn how to reduce Healthcare-associated infections. Jay Harold feels this information gives you an excellent overview of this important topic.The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has given you tools to protect yourself and loved ones from HAIs.
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