High cost nosocomial infections.
The average charge per patient due to nosocomial infection for 215 nosocomial infections in 183 study patients was $693. These cost, however, were concentrated in very few patients; 5% of patients accounted for nearly one-third of total charges. The 10% of patients with highest nosocomial infection cost were patients on Medical or Surgical services; these services were utilized in 71% of patients with nosocomial infection and accounted for 86% of the attributable charges. Among the 22 most costly infections, 17 occurred in surgical wounds and lower respiratory tract. Although these sites accounted for 46% of the infections, they resulted in 77% of the total nosocomial infection charges. Patients with a primary diagnosis of injury had particularly costly infections. Combined analysis of these variables revealed two groups for whom nosocomial infections were especially costly: surgical patients who acquired wound infections after injuries, and medical patients with lower respiratory infections.
D003361:Cost Allocation; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000191:economics*; D005249:Fees and Charges; D005845:Georgia; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006773:Hospitals, Municipal / Q000191:economics*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000191:economics; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000191:economics