Preventive efficacy and cost-effectiveness of point-of-use water filtration in a subacute care unit.
Infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other waterborne pathogens (WBPs) are major contributors to serious morbidity and mortality in hospitals. We sought to determine whether point-of-use (POU) water filtration might result in decreased risk of infection in the subacute care unit (SACU) of a 208-bed medical center. Our findings indicate that POU water filtration can significantly and cost-effectively reduce colonization of and infection with WBPs, including ventilator-associated pneumonia, in an SACU.
Holmes
Charity
C
Department of Infection Control, South Coast Medical Center, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, USA. Charityann80@hotmail.com
Cervia
Joseph S
JS
Ortolano
Girolamo A
GA
Canonica
Francis P
FP
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005374:Filtration / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000191:economics*; D015995:Prevalence; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019467:Subacute Care; D018508:Water Purification / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*