One of the most significant issues facing hospitals today is the problem of hospital infections. These infections, caused by bacteria, can increase the morbidity and mortality of the hospital population. In fact, it has been determined that hospital infections, also known as nosocomial infections or healthcare-associated infections, kill more people in this country than AIDS, breast cancer, and automobile accidents, combined, and cost the medical care system a staggering $30 billion per year.

Interestingly, experts have determined that a substantial number of these infections (more than half) arise from bacteria that are actually brought into the hospital by the patients in their nose or on their skin. These bacteria are normally harmless, but when they enter the body through incisions or wounds, they can become a serious problem.

According to an article in the New York Times, doctors now believe that these bacteria can be controlled and prevented by simply removing or destroying them at their source before they have a chance to invade and spread. These measures include cleaning, scrubbing and disinfecting areas of the body before treatment is to begin, procedures that, amazingly enough, many hospitals do not typically employ.

The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, examined infections that occur in proximity to the area where surgery takes place, near the incision. This type of infection affects more than 300,000 patients each year, and the act of preemptively preventing them represent an significant finding and has important implications in the prevention and treatment of these problems.

The research also recommended the use of more effective pre-treatment solutions to clean the potentially troubled areas. The most common disinfectant used before surgery is povidone-iodine, which was linked to more hospital infections than the more effective alternative, chlorhexidine-alcohol, which resulted in nearly 40% fewer total infections. Povidone-iodine is much more prevalent and has been used for years. While it is much cheaper than chlorhexidine-alcohol, the initial cost is seemingly insignificant in light of the reduced potential for suffering by the patients, as well as the huge costs that arise from infections.

Hospital infections are a huge problem in this country, and for that matter, across the globe. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 2 million Americans are infected each year, or 1 in 10 hospital patients, resulting in over 100,000 thousand deaths. Tragically, many of these situations are avoidable by employing simple and basic measures of hygiene.

If you have questions or concerns about hospital infections, speak with your doctor. For more information, visit the websites for the CDC and the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths (RID).