Hospital Acquired Conditions & Infections

It’s logical to think that when a patient is admitted to the hospital, the goal is to get better, not sicker. Unfortunately, patients can develop hospital-acquired conditions (HACs)— medical conditions or complications that were not present at admission and occurred as a result of errors or accidents.

One type of HAC is hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) which are caused by viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. The most common types are bloodstream infection, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and surgical site infection. Annually, approximately 2 million patients suffer with HAIs in the U.S., and nearly 90,000 are estimated to die. The overall direct cost hospitals incur due to HAIs is estimated to be as high as $45 billion annually.

One example of the high human and economic cost associated with HAIs is sepsis, the body’s often deadly response to infection. It is not only the leading cause of death in hospitals, it is also a main reason why people are readmitted. While sepsis affects the young and old, patients with chronic conditions or weakened immune systems are at higher risk.

Ensuring patient health and safety is the number one priority for hospitals. In addition to maximizing prevention efforts to reduce HACs and HAIs, hospitals can use predictive analytics to identify patients who are at high risk and more likely to acquire a condition or infection after being admitted to the hospital. This insight can do more than just lower costs—it can save lives.