The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2019 National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections Progress Report provides the national- and state-level HAI incidence data for 2019 in the four major healthcare settings: acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and long-term acute care hospitals. The report is designed to assess problem areas and provide the information needed in order to implement changes that will increase patient safety and ensure that the best and safest medical care is provided to all.
In the report, the CDC states that on any given day, one in 31 patients in the US acquires at least one HAI, highlighting the need for improvements in patient care in healthcare facilities. Even though progress has been made in recent years, more changes need to be implemented in order to prevent healthcare-associated infections and increase patient safety.
One of the top ways to reduce the spread of HAIs in healthcare settings is through the use of disposable medical devices. Disposable medical devices are instruments that are used by only one person, only one time, and are then disposed of after use. Single-use devices can be a great tool for reducing the risk of transferring germs and infections among patients, therefore reducing the rate of healthcare-associated infections. Because these tools are only used by one patient, and only used one time, they help to reduce the spread of infection by person-to-person contact.
Hospitals opting for disposable medical devices could lead to a significant reduction in the number of healthcare-associated infections. Disposable medical devices not only make it easy to provide patients with the care they need by making it a simple process, but they also greatly reduce the time spent away from patients as there is no need for medical staff to disinfect reusable devices after every use. Eliminating the need to clean reusable devices would allow providers to spend more time focusing on providing the best possible care to all of their patients.
