What is the True Cost of Hospital-Acquired Infection?
At Stethoscover, we focus on combating Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) with effective solutions. The underreporting of infection rates in U.S. healthcare conceals the true impact, leading to inadequate resource allocation and policies. Our mission is to raise awareness about infection control deficiencies and address the issues with contaminated stethoscopes as part of a broader global fight against infections.
1 out of 14 Patients Infected
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that 7% of patients in hospitals acquire an infection.(5) In 2022, with 33.7 million U.S. hospital admissions, this translates to approximately 2,359,000 patients. Thus, 1 in 14 patients are infected vs. the commonly cited 1 in 31 patients.
10% of Infected Patients Will Die
The WHO states that 1 in 10 patients with HAIs will die. Accordingly, with 2,359,000 HAIs in the U.S., about 235,900 would die. Adding the CDC's 135,000 sepsis deaths linked to HAIs, the total is around 370,900 deaths, far more than the often-cited 99,000 deaths.(6)
HAIs the 3rd Leading Cause of Death in the U.S.
While HAIs are often ranked among the top 10 causes of death in the U.S., underreporting diminishes their perceived impact. With 370,900 actual deaths, HAIs would be the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S., following heart disease and cancer.
$150B Annual Cost to Hospitals and Society
Public health reports estimate $28-$47.1 billion in additional hospitalization costs due to HAIs. However, including other economic factors like clinical resources, lost workdays, and life years, the total cost to hospitals and society may be upwards of $150 billion annually.(7)
(6) https://www.who.int/news/item/06-05-2022-who-launches-first-ever-global-report-on-infection-prevention-and-control
(7) https://www.who.int/news/item/06-05-2022-who-launches-first-ever-global-report-on-infection-prevention-and-control