Federal government declares war on hospital infections and patient deaths
Feds claim U.S. health care workers cause 100,000 deaths every year - AmericanInjuryNews.com–The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) www.hhs.gov declares war on health-care associated infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims health-care associated infections (HAI) caused 99,000 patient deaths in 2002 and are largely preventable. A health-care or hospital acquired infection is defined as an infection a patient gets while receiving medical treatment or while having surgical procedures. Basically, the patient did not have the infection when they went to the doctor, hospital or surgeon, and they acquired the infection while receiving care from the doctor, hospital or surgeon.
The CDC also states aside from the 99,000 patient deaths from HAIs is 2002, approximately 1.7 million patient suffered infections in U.S. hospitals at the hands of health care workers. These figures do not include doctors offices or outpatient centers and clinics. We have more knowledge about infection control and tools to prevent the spread of infections today, in America, than ever before, yet HAIs are increasing. Most HAIs happen because health care workers simply don’t wash their hands as mandated by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) www.osha.gov. OSHA, a division of the federal government, has strict national standards for all health care workers, and most states require infection control education training every year.
The tremendous toll on human life and the staggering financial burden from HAIs has prompted the HHS to issue a long awaited action plan. The plan can be found on the HHS website http://www.hhs.gov/ophs. Civil trial lawyers across the nation have been lobbying the federal government to take action for decades. If doctors, nurses and health care workers would simply wash their hands before and after patient care, the incidence of HAIs would decrease tremendously. If you have been injured because of a hospital workers negligence you may have a claim for your damages, injuries and losses.
AmericanInjuryNews.com by Dallas Injury Lawyer Brian A. Eberstein
Practice areas: Medial Malpractice litigation
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