Top Five HAIs Cost $9.8 Billion Annually, According to New Study

A study published on September 2, 2013, in JAMA Internal Medicine estimates that the top five healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) (i.e., surgical site infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections CLABSI, catheter-associated urinary tract infections CAUTI, ventilator-associated pneumonia VAP, and Clostridium difficileinfection CDI) in hospitalized adult patients cost $9.8 billion per year. Over one-third of the cost is related to surgical site infections, and VAP and CAUTI are associated with one-quarter of the cost each. CLABSI was the most expensive HAI, averaging $45,814 per instance. CLABSI caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) was even more expensive at $58,614. CLABSI and surgical site infection cases caused by MRSA had the highest length-of-stay, at 15.7 and 23.0 days, respectively.