Nosocomial Infections

Nosocomial Infections are infections caught because of a health care visit or stay. On average 1 in every 25 patients acquires a nosocomial infection of some sort, leading to the death of 100,000+ patients every year.

As a patient, you can greatly reduce the risk to you and your family with just a little information and a few simple steps.

Nosocomial Infections, Dangerous & Common

While infections are usually considered to be a danger with invasive procedures like surgeries, the most common is actually urinary tract infections caused by common procedures most people never consider.

One of the most dangerous nosocomial infections is lower respiratory infections, such as pneumonia from extended mechanical ventilation.

Another concern is the overuse of antibiotics. Because of this excessive use, many infections are becoming resistant to treatment, creating a situation that requires more care, a hospital stay, or a longer hospital stay. The most common and dangerous of this infection type is the well-known MRSA, a bacterial infection that will attack any part of the body.

Prevention

There are several ways the patients, can prevent these infections and the enormous costs to the patients, that are associated with them. There are numerous ways to help keep your family healthy, including diet and exercise, however, there are two essential things the patients can do for themselves and their families’ health.

Step 1: Go See Your Primary Care

The first, and most important, step is to ensure your family’s good health with regular visits to your health care providers, every time anyone gets ill. Many Americans put off going to their doctors for too long for various reasons and one the top reasons being the cost of visiting a doctor.

Most healthy people delay their routine preventive care, believing that they are healthy and don’t need to see a doctor. “I go to gym 5 times a day. I can run for 30 min. I am not overweight, etc.” The literal purpose of Preventive care is to make sure you remain healthy and not get into a situation where you end up in a hospital for heart, GI or other “hidden” causes. 

Avoiding seeing a physician for a preventive care, or that “heart burn” to avoid the cost and you end up paying A lot more when a simple problem becomes a very serious hospital stay.

TIP: If cost is an issue, always try to find self-pay prices at a physician office. You will be surprised the discount you will receive and won’t have to worry about high deductible, co-pay or premium increase.

Step 2: Finish Your Antibiotics

The second, and just as important, thing is to educate yourself on the use of antibiotics. Knowing when to take antibiotics, and following the prescription exactly, will help keep your body from creating the resistance that can make infections so hard to treat. For example, if you are prescribed antibiotics for a simple sinus infection, don’t stop taking them after 3 days since you are feeling better. The bacteria will learn to create resistance to antibiotics, which creates further risks for Nosocomial infections.

How Health Beyond Insurance Can Help?

Being able to visit your doctor when you need to, instead of when you are “allowed” by your insurance coverage, can prevent most major health problems from occurring. Find many physicians, who accept or even prefer self-pay patients, on Health Beyond Insurance.