Hospital-acquired infections

According to research published in JAMA Internal Medicine, hospital-acquired infections (HAI) cost approximately $9.8 billion per year, with surgical site infections alone accounting for one-third of those costs.

The most expensive type of HAI are central line-associated bloodstream infections, and they cost an average of $45,814 per patient. Other costly HAIs are catheter-associated urinary tract infections, Clostridium difficile infections, surgical site infections, and ventilator-associated pneumonia.  

Researchers reviewed 37 years’ worth of published medical literature to determine how expensive there HAIs are.

Safe Patient

As a patient, you're at a hospital to get better. However, medical mistakes can happen anytime and you are always at risk for getting an infection. Taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), below are 10 things you can do to be a safe patient.  
 

1. Talk to your doctor about any worries you have about your safety and ask them what they are doing to protect you.

2. Keep hands clean. If you do not see your healthcare providers clean their hands, please ask them to do so. Also remind your loved ones and visitors. Washing hands can prevent the spread of germs.

3. Ask if you still need a central line catheter or urinary catheter. Leaving a catheter in place too long increases the chances of getting an infection. Let your doctor or nurse know if the area around the central line becomes sore or red, or if the bandage falls off or looks wet or dirty.

4. Ask your healthcare provider, "Will there be a new needle, new syringe, and a new vial for this procedure or injection?" Healthcare providers should never reuse a needle or syringe on more than one patient.

5. Be careful with medications. Avoid taking too much medicine by following package directions. Also, to avoid harmful drug interactions, tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking.

6. Get Smart about antibiotics. Help prevent antibiotic resistance by taking all your antibiotics as prescribed, and not sharing your antibiotics with other people. Remember that antibiotics don't work against viruses like the ones that cause the common cold.

7. Prepare for surgery. There are things you can do to reduce your risk of getting a surgical site infection. Talk to your doctor to learn what you should do to prepare for surgery. Let your doctor know about other medical problems you have.

8. Watch out for C. diff. Tell your doctor if you have severe diarrhea, especially if you are also taking an antibiotic.

9. Know the signs and symptoms of infection. Some skin infections, such as MRSA, appear as redness, pain, or drainage at an IV catheter site or surgical incision site. Often these symptoms come with a fever. Tell your doctor if you have these symptoms.

10. Get your flu shot. Protect yourself against the flu and other complications by getting vaccinated.

A life-saving app

HealthTap, a health information start-up, recently heard from its 10,000^th user, who said the site saved her life.  

The user explained that her local doctor brushed her off and told her that what she was experiencing was nothing but anxiety. After the appointment, she turned to HealthTap, where she was able to explain to a medical expert what she was going through. The doctor who took the question told the user that her condition sounded like a blocked artery. Sure enough, she soon saw a cardiology specialist who later inserted a coronary stent.  

Since 2012, the site has logged nearly a billion questions and answers that range from headaches and the common cold to things more serious such as concerns about cancer treatment and medications. After questions are asked, they are routed to a physician who is an expert in that particular field of medicine and who is determined to be most likely to respond quickly.  

Nearly 50,000 doctors contribute their advice for free to this site. HealthTap is both a Web site and a mobile application.

Flu season starts as CDC remains idle

Because of the government shutdown, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) labs and surveillance programs are idle, causing outside experts to worry that important data is being lost in regards to the fall flu season. 

According to an article published in MedPage Today, approximately 80 to 85 percent of the usual staff is on enforced leave, and that almost all of the regular apparatus that monitors flu and flu-like illness has been shut down. Information about things such as anti-viral resistance, pediatric influenza, admissions to hospital for flu or flu-like illness and mortality is not being gathered.  

As of right now, there is no “national snapshot” for this flu season.  

State health departments are currently collecting flu data, but the information is not being sent over to the CDC. With the agency not knowing what the geographic spread of the disease is, we will not understand if this season is mild or severe, if the flu has developed resistance to anti-viral medications, or is the vaccine strains match those circulating in the community.

Quality hospital care

The following was taken from the Joint Commission on choosing quality care in a hospital.

When you need care in a hospital, and it is not an emergency, you should take time to find out some information to help you choose the best hospital for you or your loved one. Your doctor can recommend some hospitals. Talk with representatives at each hospital. The following questions can help you get the information you need.

Questions about care:
• Ask about the operation or treatment that you need. How often is it performed? What are the risks?
• Will you receive written information about your operation or treatment?
• Will a care plan be created? The plan should cover the services that the patient will receive and how long
treatment will last.
• Who will be responsible for the care plan?
• How are nurses and other health care professionals updated about your care?
• How is your family updated about your care?
• Ask how your pain will be treated. Will you meet your anesthesiologist?
• What are the hospital’s rules for visitors?
• Are family members allowed in the recovery area?
• How do they provide security? How do they protect all patients?
• What is the cost of your operation or treatment?
• Is your operation or treatment covered by your medical insurance?
• Where can you get help finding financial assistance if you need it?
• Is the hospital “accredited?” Accredited means that the hospital follows rules for patient safety and quality. Go to Quality Check® at www.qualitycheck.org to find Joint Commission accredited hospitals.
• What are your rights and responsibilities? Ask for a paper copy and an explanation of your rights and
responsibilities.
• Is patient information kept confidential? Is there any reason patient information is released?

Questions about staff:
• What is the training and background of the doctor?
• Is the doctor certified by a medical board?
• Are social workers available? What services do they provide?

Questions about emergency care:
• Is there a 24-hour telephone number you can call if you have questions or problems? Will a doctor or
nurse answer the phone? How are emergencies handled after hours?
• Is there an emergency plan? Can care still be provided if there is a power failure or natural disaster? Is
there a plan for moving patients to another hospital if there is an emergency?

Questions about care when leaving the hospital:
• Will a discharge plan be created?
• Will you or your family be given clear instructions about your care after you leave the hospital? For
example, how to change dressings and continue medicines.
• What services are available after you leave the hospital?
• Will your regular doctor be given information about your condition?

Recalled Children's Book

DETAILS: Children’s books titled ‘‘Count my Kisses, 1, 2, 3’’ and ‘‘Red, Green, Blue, I Love You.’’ The board-shaped children’s books have cut out covers that serve as a handle and include an embedded bar in the handle with beads for children to play with. ‘‘Ages 3+’’ is printed on the back covers and the ISBN numbers are also on the back covers near the bar code. Two titles are included. Count my Kisses, 1, 2, 3, ISBN: 978-0-316-13354-8, has five colored cylindrical wooden beads with printed hearts on the rod. I Love You, ISBN: 978-0-316-13353-1, has five colored circular wooden beads on the metal rod. They were sold from June 2013 to August 2013.

WHY: A metal rod holding small beads on the cover of books can detach and release small parts on which children could choke. A detached metal bar can expose a sharp edge posing a laceration hazard.

HOW MANY: About 70,000.

FOR MORE: Call Hachette Book Group at 888-965-5802 or visit www.hachettebookrecall.com or www.hachettebookgroup.com and click on the link in the Recall/Important Safety Notice box on the home page.

Unreliable Hospitals

The Joint Commission, which accredits and certifies more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, say that too many hospitals and health care leaders experience serious safety failures every day.

Because of these failures, millions of Americans are affected each year. According to the article, major changes need to take place in both leadership and safety culture. If changes can successfully be made, hospitals can make progress towards becoming highly reliable.

There are three major things that hospitals can do. According to the Joint Commission:

·         Hospital leadership must commit to the ultimate goal of high reliability or zero patient harm rather than viewing it as unrealistic.

·         Hospitals must create a culture of safety that emphasizes trust, reporting and improvement. This means hospitals must put a stop to the intimidation and blame that drive safety concerns underground and instead emphasize accountability and the early identification of unsafe practices and conditions.

·         Hospitals need new process improvement tools and methods—a combination of Six Sigma, Lean, and change management in order to make far greater progress toward eliminating patient harm. Government regulation is unlikely to drive high reliability, but identifying and eliminating mandates that either do not directly contribute to or distract from quality challenges is necessary. Well-crafted programs that require public reporting of reliable and valid quality measures are also recommended.

Currently, no hospital has been able to achieve high reliability, but changes can be made to improve safety.