Question 1

Did You Receive an HAI While in Hospital Care?

Accepted Answer

When we go to a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office, we do so to improve our health, not make it worse. But many patients treated at healthcare facilities end up suffering worse ailments than before.

Healthcare-associated infections or HAIs, also known as hospital-acquired infections, are the result of unsterile practices and environments at healthcare facilities, and could be largely prevented if facilities and staff followed proper procedures. Medical professionals have a responsibility to put their patients’ safety first at all times. Failure to do so can result in severe injury or death to a patient, and is therefore grounds for legal action.

If you have suffered injury or lost a loved one due to a hospital-acquired infection, you need the representation of an experienced Atlanta medical malpractice attorney. For over three decades, Grant Law Office has been fighting for the rights of Georgia victims harmed by medical negligence. For a free case evaluation, please call us at (404) 995-3955.

Question 2

How Common Are HAIs in the United States?

Accepted Answer

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 700,000 cases of HAI occur each year in the United States. The CDC estimates that of those infections, roughly 10% are fatal, killing about 75,000 patients a year.

Question 3

What Are the Common HAIs?

Accepted Answer

The following are some of the more common HAIs. Pneumonia and surgical site infections are the most common, each accounting for approximately 21% of cases.

Surgical site infections: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are caused by exposure to bacteria, such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Pseudomonas. Bacteria can infect unsterile environments, surgical tools, or implanted medical devices. SSIs can also be caused be medical personnel who don’t wash their hands properly before treating a patient, or by failure to keep a wound clean.
Pneumonia: Hospital-acquired pneumonia can be both viral and bacterial, and is most common in patients who are treated with mechanical ventilation. This is referred to as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).
Clostridium difficile infection: C. diff bacteria is found in feces, and if ingested, can cause inflammation of the colon. Medical workers can easily spread this germ through unclean hands, and several strains found in hospitals are antibiotic-resistant. This bacteria caused almost half a million infections in 2011, and 29,000 people died within 30 days of the initial diagnosis in 2011, according to the CDC.
Central line-associated bloodstream infection: CLABSI can result from inappropriate hand hygiene; failure to sterilize a patient’s skin before giving an injection, inserting an IV, or making an incision; failure to use full-barrier precautions when inserting a venous catheter; using the femoral vein for inserting catheters in adult patients; and leaving a catheter in for too long.
Catheter-associated urinary tract infection: CAUTI can be caused by fungi or bacteria entering the urinary tract via a catheter. This is commonly the result of the catheter becoming contaminated during insertion, the drainage bag not being emptied often enough, urine from the drainage bag flowing backward into the bladder, the catheter becoming contaminated from a bowel movement, or failure to regularly clean the catheter.

Healthcare-Associated Infection Lawyers in Atlanta

Did You Receive an HAI While in Hospital Care in Georgia?

Recent Medical Malpractice Verdicts and Settlements

How Common Are HAIs in the United States?

What Are the Common HAIs?

How an Atlanta Medical Malpractice Lawyer Can Help

Additional Information