Hospital-Acquired Infections: What Happens When Your Health Care Causes Your Deadly Infection?

When we seek medical treatment from a facility, we expect that to be a refuge and place of safety for us.  We expect that the care and treatment we receive be pristine, effective, and efficient.  We further expect that any ailments we come in with are healed—or on the way path towards healing—and that we do not leave with any injuries we did not already have.

However, this is not always the case.  As experienced Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys, we have unfortunately seen many patients leaving a hospital with injuries they did not come in with such as broken bones, perforations, toxic concoctions of medications, and severe infections.  Of these, the infections can be some of the worst but yet most silent of killers.  These instances could constitute medical malpractice by the provider.

In fact, hospital acquired infections have become a significant problem for health care providers throughout the United States.  It is estimated that over 270 people die each day due to hospital acquired infections.  Each year approximately 1.8 million patients suffer from hospital acquired infections.  Studies have shown that nearly three-quarters of all patient rooms are contaminated with some form of bacteria which could cause significant and life-threatening health complications.

The most common bacteria causing these infections is popularly referred to as MRSA, which is short for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.  In 1974, only two-percent (2%) of all Staph infections were caused by MRSA which increased to a whopping fifty-seven-percent (57%) in 2003.

This sharp increase has attracted the attention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  They have created an initiative to study and combat this growing risk of infections and have identified several risk factors as the following:

• “Use of indwelling medical devices such as bloodstream, endotracheal, and urinary catheters”;
• “Surgical procedures”;
• “Infections”;
• “Contamination of the health care environment”;
• “Transmission of communicable diseases between patients and healthcare workers”; and
• “Overuse or improper use of antibiotics.”

Further, Health and Human Services estimates that about one in every 20 inpatients with an infection has one related to his or her hospital care.  As a result, these infections cost the U.S. Health Care System billions of dollars each year.  But studies show that the majority of these hospital acquired infections can be avoided.

When a patient acquires an infection during the pendency of his or her hospital stay, as medical malpractice attorneys we have a checklist what to look for and assess.  First, we seek the medical records or blood tests to determine what type of infection the patient has.  We will also look for hospital rates of infections and reports from the Department of Health to see if the infection is a common one at that hospital.  Next, we will look to identify what risk factors the patient may have undergone.  If the risk factors are not present, this creates a stronger presumption that there was reckless or careless medical care.  Understanding some of the risk factors are some ways to avoid a hospital acquired infection.

We will use the patient’s narrative of events, the medical records, and seek out witnesses.  Once there is a significant background of information, we will speak with a medical expert looking at the care and treatment this patient underwent and what may have caused the infection.  In the past, it is common for hospital acquired infections to be caused by the following negligent acts:

• Failure of medical staff to practice healthy hygiene;
• Overly routine or common surgeries that are endlessly repeated;
• Overly risk procedures providing for the possibility of infection;
• Unnecessary procedures introducing the risk of infection;
• Incorrect IV, catheter, or needle administration procedure or use; and
• Open wound contamination caused by treatments.

While hospital acquired infections are significant health problems and should not occur, the truth is some are not caused by the negligence of a health care provider.  But that does not mean always.  All too often hospitals and health care providers will cut-corners to help alleviate high costs and to safe time; in reality they are just cutting patient treatment.  Therefore, if you or a loved one has suffered from a hospital acquired infection, it is important to call an experienced and resourceful Tennessee medical malpractice attorney to evaluate your claim.

Here at Bailey and Greer, PLLC our Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys understand how to effectively pursue your claims.  Our legal team has a proven track record of compassionately representing our clients injured in Tennessee personal injury cases which is included in our testimonials page and our successful case results.  Please contact us today to receive your free case evaluation by dialing 901-680-9777.