On any given day, one in 25 patients in a hospital is battling an infection picked up in the facility, according to a new survey released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Michael Bell, deputy director of the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion at the CDC, says the report shows that progress is being made, but more needs to be done to keep patients from dying.
"Sooner or later, everyone is probably going to be a patient, and that's one of the reasons we need to work on making sure everyone is safe," Bell says.
The survey included 183 hospitals nationwide. The most common infections include pneumonia and surgical site infections. The report, which includes state specific data, shows Ohio facilities to be significantly better than the national average in two of four infection areas. They are on par with national averages in the other two.
"Compared to the nation, Ohio has had good progress in several of the infections that we track. So things are looking good," Bell says.
Hospitalized patients should take a friend or family member with them to make sure staff avoids causing infection by frequently washing hands, using the right antibiotics and taking out catheters as soon as possible.