News: HACs declined by nearly 1 million between 2014 and 2017
February 7, 2019
CDI Strategies - Volume 13, Issue 6
Hospital-acquired conditions (HAC) declined by 13% between 2014 and 2017, preventing an estimated 20,500 deaths and $7.7 billion in healthcare costs, according to preliminary data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
HACs decreased by an estimated 910,000 over the period, including the following:
- 37% decline in c. difficile infections
- 28% decline in adverse drug events
- 17% decline in post-operative venous thromboembolisms
- 13% decline in ventilator-associated pneumonias
- 6% decline in central line-associated bloodstream infections
- 6% decline in pressure ulcers/injuries
- 5% decline in catheter-associated urinary tract infections
- 5% decline in falls
- 5% decline in obstetric adverse events
According to the report, the goal for 2019 is a 20% reduction in HACs, which would result in approximately 1.8 million fewer HACs, $19.2 billion in cost savings, and 53,000 HAC-related deaths adverted from 2015-2019.
Editor’s note: To read the complete report from AHRQ, click here. To read more about HACs and CDI, click here.