What to Do if You Get an Infection at a Hospital in Indiana

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities have a very high concentration of people with illnesses. While hospitals take measures to reduce the risk of the spread of infection, it is impossible to completely eliminate this risk.

Hospital Acquired Infections Statistics

A report published in the Wall Street Journal indicates that among people who are hospitalized, as many as 1 in 10 may develop an infection. These infections can be very severe and may even be fatal in some cases. Depending on the circumstances of how an infection occurred, a hospital or a healthcare professional may be held liable for injuries sustained as the result of a patient infection. Hospitals have a duty to take reasonable measures to ensure that infections do not spread through their patient population.

Anyone who has developed an infection while hospitalized should contact an a qualified Indianapolis personal injury attorney for a case evaluation. If you developed an infection while in the hospital that was a result of someone’s negligence, you may be able to obtain compensation for any additional medical expenses, loss of wages, pain and suffering, or other losses you may incur. Contact our South Bend medical malpractice lawyer for more information.

According to statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were approximately 1.7 million hospital-acquired infections in 2002 alone. Of these, 33,269 were among newborns in high-risk nurseries, 19,059 among newborns in non-high-risk nurseries, 417,946 in people in ICUs, and 1,266,851 in patients outside of ICUs. These hospital-acquired infections were responsible for 98,987 fatalities, which are broken down into the following kinds of infections:

• 35,967 from pneumonia
• 30,665 from bloodstream infections
• 13,088 from UTIs
• 8,205 as the result of surgical site infections
• 11,062 due to infections at other sites

Although these statistics were compiled a decade ago, there is nothing to indicate that these numbers have improved.

Hospital or healthcare-related infections can be very serious and difficult to treat. One of the most worrisome issues associated with hospital infections is the apparent rise in infections that are the result of “superbugs,” which are disease-resistant bacteria.

How Do You Prevent Hospital Acquired Infections?

Fortunately for patients, there are steps that people can take to avoid the risk of getting an infection while at the hospital. According to the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths, the single most effective way to protect yourself from infection is making sure that all hospital staff and visitors thoroughly wash their hands. In addition, you can also take the following measures:

• Ask that your physician wipes his or her stethoscope with alcohol prior to using it on you.
• Research a surgeon’s infection rate prior to undergoing surgery
• Use chlorhexidine soap 3 to 5 days prior to surgery
• Stop smoking before undergoing surgery
• Remind your physician or surgeon that you need an antibiotic one hour before surgery

Should you have to do these things? No. But in some instances, they can save your life from a negligent doctor.

Because of the high density of hospital populations, outbreaks of infection can affect a large number of people very quickly. If you develop an infection while hospitalized, you may be able to recover damages through a medical malpractice lawsuit. Examples of hospital staff or physician negligence could include things like failure to wash hands, not sterilizing surgical equipment, failure to recognize and treat an infection, not separating infected patients from non-infected patients, robotic surgical machines, cerebral palsy, brachial plexus or not effectively cleaning surfaces with antiseptic solution. To determine whether you have a claim, you should meet with an experienced Fort Wayne personal injury attorney.