The #1 Threat to Surgical Patients: Surgical Site Infections
Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the second most common healthcare-acquired infection1 and one of the most costly.1 Approximately 60 million inpatient and ambulatory surgical procedures are performed in the U.S. every year.2,3 Of those, surgical site infections (SSIs) occur after 2.6% to 5% of them.2,4 That amounts to 1.5 million SSIs annually.5 SSIs can also add 7-10 days to a patient's length of stay1 and significantly increase costs3 and mortality risk.6
SSIS - A COSTLY PROBLEM
FINANCIAL COSTS:
- SSIs are the #1 most costly healthcare-acquired infection (HAI), costing hospitals more than $7 billion a year.1
- Each SSI can increase costs by an average of $25,546.4 That rises to more than $90,000 for MRSA infection.4
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
no longer reimburses hospitals for certain SSIs, including mediastinitis.7
HUMAN COST:6
- Twice as likely to die
- 60% more likely to spend time in an ICU
- Over 5 times more likely to be readmitted
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A study of elderly patients found SSI due to S. aureus was responsible for more than a 5-fold increase in mortality8 and another study shows MRSA in a surgical wound resulted in over a 12-fold increase in mortality.9 |
