title: Positive impact of infection prevention on the management of nosocomial outbreaks at an academic hospital.
abstract: Infection prevention (IP) measures are vital to prevent (nosocomial) outbreaks. Financial evaluations of these are scarce. An incremental cost analysis for an academic IP unit was performed.
  
  
  
  On a yearly basis, we evaluated: IP measures; costs thereof; numbers of patients at risk for causing nosocomial outbreaks; predicted outbreak patients; and actual outbreak patients.
  
  
  
  IP costs rose on average yearly with €150,000; however, more IP actions were undertaken. Numbers of patients colonized with high-risk microorganisms increased. The trend of actual outbreak patients remained stable. Predicted prevented outbreak patients saved costs, leading to a positive return on investment of 1.94.
  
  
  
  This study shows that investments in IP can prevent outbreak cases, thereby saving enough money to earn back these investments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan-Willem H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Dik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bhanu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mariëtte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lokate
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jerome R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lo-Ten-Foe
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Department of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 6, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ariane G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Dinkelacker
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Unit of PharmacoEpidemiology & PharmacoEconomics, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Institute of Science in Healthy Aging & healthcaRE (SHARE), University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maarten J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Postma
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alexander W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Friedrich
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000191:economics; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis / Q000592:standards*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004469:Economics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017053:Infection Control / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D007449:Investments; D009426:Netherlands; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: cost–benefit analysis; health economics; infection prevention; nosocomial outbreaks