New Report Estimates Societal Cost of HAIs At a High of Nearly $150 Billion Annually

October 01, 2013 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) arising in U.S. acute care hospitals cost America as much as $147 billion annually, according to a new report recently published in the Journal of Medical Economics online edition. The report, by MedERA and funded by an unrestricted educational grant from UMF Corporation, estimates for the first time the societal cost of HAIs attributed to acute care hospitals. “Before this report, economic research into HAIs mostly focused on hospitals or insurers instead of the patients they served,” said Albert Marchetti, MD, president and medical director of MedERA. “Full societal costs, which are more inclusive than commonly reported direct hospital costs, have never been fully measured or reported. We believe patients rightfully deserve attention, too, because they not only bear out-of-pocket expenses for HAIs but also suffer the unacceptable clinical consequences of heightened morbidity and mortality as well as resultant losses of productivity and wage.” The report, “Economic Burden of Healthcare-Associated Infections in U.S. Acute Care Hospitals – Societal Perspective,” estimates that HAIs cost America from $96 billion to $147 billion annually. Dr. Marchetti believes these costs could actually be even higher and calls for new epidemiologic research to update infection rates and patient mortality. Read more here