Healthcare-Associated Infections or Nosocomial Infections are the
most frequent, adverse event and safety risk impacting healthcare
organizations today
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Healthcare-associated infections (also known as HAIs) contribute to a
startling 99,000 patient deaths annually1 and alone account
for $30 billion a year in U.S. healthcare costs.2 Just as
there are various ways healthcare-associated infections can be acquired,
liability for healthcare organizations and professionals can occur in
many different situations, making HAIs an ever-present safety risk both
in terms of patient injury and related financial risk. ACE Group
announced the release of an in-depth advisory on the risks associated
with healthcare-associated infections and how healthcare organizations
can help protect patients and themselves against potential hazards and
liabilities.
“Healthcare-Associated Infections: A Deeper Look” was co-authored by
Diane Doherty, Vice President and Edward Dunn, Vice President, ACE
Medical Risk Group. This report is the latest installment in ACE’s
series of insurance and risk management perspectives for risk managers.
“According to the World Health Organization, seven out of every 100
hospitalized patients at any given time will acquire at least one
healthcare-associated infection,” said Ms. Doherty. “As this trend is on
the rise, it is important that healthcare organization’s put patient
safety first. In addition to clinical risks, healthcare leaders must
understand the threats healthcare-associated infections pose to their
organizations’ financial well-being and reputation. Developing effective
prevention strategies, a comprehensive risk management plan and ensuring
the appropriate insurance coverage is in place will help to combat
healthcare-associated infections and keep healthcare organization’s one
step ahead.”
ACE’s advisory arms hospitals with important information they need to
manage risk from healthcare-associated infections.
Key Highlights from the ACE Advisory include:
-
Types of healthcare-associated infections and how they spread in
healthcare settings
-
Use of universal infection precautions and procedures to protect
against healthcare-associated infections
-
Proper and efficient use of environmental hygiene measures to mitigate
the spread of infections
-
Risk management and insurance considerations for healthcare entities
to protect against enterprise-wide losses
To access the full report, please visit
our website. The material presented in this report is not intended
to provide legal or other expert advice. It is presented as information
only. Readers should consult legal counsel or other technical experts,
as applicable, for answers to specific questions.
About ACE Group
ACE Group is one of the world’s largest multiline property and casualty
insurers. With operations in 54 countries, ACE provides commercial and
personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident supplemental
health insurance, reinsurance, and life insurance to a diverse group of
clients. ACE Limited, the parent company of ACE Group, is listed on the
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ACE) and is a component of the S&P 500
index. Additional information can be found at www.acegroup.com,
or follow ACE on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ACEGroupNA.
1. Klevens RM. et al. “Estimating Health Care-associated
Infections and Deaths in US Hospitals, 2002.” Public Health Report.
2007 Mar–Apr; 122(2):160-6. [embed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17357358]
2. See “Medicare Fines 2,610 Hospitals in the Third Round of
Readmission Penalties,” Kaiser Health News, Oct. 2, 2014 [embed: http://khn.org/news/medicare-readmissions-penalties-2015/]
and “AHRQ’s Efforts to Prevent and Reduce Health Care-Associated
Infections,” Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. [embed: http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/errors-safety/haiflyer/]
ACE®, ACE logo®, and ACE insured® are
trademarks of ACE Limited.
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Source: ACE Group