Hospital-Acquired Infections Cost Patients More, Pennsylvania Study Shows

Main Category: MRSA / Drug Resistance
Also Included In: Public Health;  Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 26 Jan 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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The average bill for Pennsylvanians who contracted infections during their hospital care was almost five-and-one-half times more than patients who did not contract infections, a Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council study released on Thursday found, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The study examined infection rates at each of Pennsylvania's 165 general hospitals and found that 27,949 patients contracted infections during their care in 2007. Patients who contracted infections were six times more likely to die, according to the study.

The study also found that the rate of hospital-acquired infections at Pennsylvania hospitals declined by nearly 8% from 19.2 per 1,000 patients in 2006 to 17.7 per 1,000 patients in 2007. The rate of infection varied at individual hospitals for a number of reasons, including how well hospitals track infections, the types of patients treated and infection control practices (Goldstein, Philadelphia Inquirer, 1/22).

The report is available online.

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