More Hospital Infections Caused by Short-Sighted Budget Cuts
Recent budget cuts have caused many hospitals to reduce infection control measures, according to a recent survey by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). The "2009 APIC Economic Survey" found that over 40% of the 2,000 infection preventionists who responded reported reductions in budgets for infection prevention during the last 18 months.
“Infection prevention departments at our nation’s healthcare facilities are severely understaffed and under-resourced,” said APIC CEO Kathy L. Warye. “Without enough trained professionals, funding and high-tech solutions that speed access to infection-related data, we are not going to continue to make progress in eliminating preventable infections. While cuts in staff, training and technology may ease budgets in the short-term, the effect of increased infections will erode the bottom line over time, not to mention cause needless pain, suffering and death. Healthcare executives must invest in their infection prevention programs. It’s the right thing for patients and it saves hospitals money."
An estimated 1.7 million infections and 99,000 associated deaths each year are directly related to these kinds of infections. They create more than $20 billion in excess healthcare costs annually. According to Warye, "... many healthcare leaders still don't understand that preventing infections costs pennies on the dollar compared to the cost of treating infections when they occur."