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Medical and economic benefit of a comprehensive infection control program that includes routine determination of
D M Hacek1, T Suriano, G A Noskin
1Northwestern Memorial Hospital Prevention Epicenter, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Abstract:
Nosocomial infections are a major part of the problem of reemerging pathogens causing infectious diseases, affecting 5% of patients hospitalized in the United States during 1995. We assessed the medical and economic effects on the overall nosocomial infection rate of an intervention that provided an enhanced, integrated infection control program, including an in-house molecular typing laboratory capability to rapidly assess microbial clonality. Data on nosocomial infections for 24 months prior to the change in approach to infection control were compared with data from the 24 months immediately following implementation of the new program. Infections per 1,000 patient-days and percentage of hospitalized patients in whom nosocomial infection developed were assessed. Overall, nosocomial infections per 1,000 patient-days decreased more than 10% (P = .027), and percentage of patients with nosocomial infection decreased 23% during the post-intervention period compared with the previous control 24 months. This translated to a mean reduction of some 270 patients per year with nosocomial infection, and lowering of actual health care costs for our institution by $4,368,100 over the 2 years of the intervention.
Insights
Implementing an enhanced infection control program significantly reduced nosocomial infections by over 10% and decreased patient infection rates by 23%. This initiative also resulted in substantial healthcare cost savings.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Healthcare Management
- Public Health
Background:
- Nosocomial infections pose a significant challenge in healthcare settings, affecting a notable percentage of hospitalized patients.
- Reemerging pathogens contribute to the ongoing problem of hospital-acquired infections.
- Effective infection control strategies are crucial for patient safety and healthcare economics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the medical and economic impact of an enhanced, integrated infection control program.
- To assess the effectiveness of incorporating an in-house molecular typing laboratory for microbial clonality assessment.
- To determine the reduction in nosocomial infection rates and associated healthcare costs.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study design was employed, analyzing 24 months of data before and after the intervention.
- Key metrics included infections per 1,000 patient-days and the percentage of hospitalized patients with nosocomial infections.
- The intervention involved an enhanced, integrated infection control program with molecular typing capabilities.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant decrease of over 10% in nosocomial infections per 1,000 patient-days (P = .027).
- A 23% reduction in the percentage of hospitalized patients acquiring nosocomial infections post-intervention.
- An average annual reduction of 270 patients with nosocomial infections and healthcare cost savings of $4,368,100 over two years.
Conclusions:
- The enhanced infection control program, including molecular typing, effectively reduced hospital-acquired infections.
- The intervention demonstrated significant medical benefits by lowering infection rates.
- The program yielded substantial economic benefits through reduced healthcare costs.