Patients go to the hospital to receive treatments and procedures that will help them feel better. Unfortunately, not every individual will have a positive outcome from his or her hospital stay. In fact, statistics reveal that roughly one out of every 25 hospital patients will develop a healthcare-associated infection as a result of their time in a healthcare facility. There were roughly 700,000 healthcare-associated infections in United States acute care hospitals each year, and around 75,000 of these patients died during their time in the hospital, studies show.
How Patients Can Be Proactive
Patients undergoing any type of medical procedure face the possibility of developing an infection. Whether it is a routine procedure like a tonsillectomy or a major operation such as an organ transplant, surgery patients are among those at the greatest risk. Fortunately, there are several precautions patients can take ahead of time to reduce their risk of infection.Follow all instructions that you are given prior to your surgery. For example, you may be instructed to implement a strict diet, take certain medications, or relax as much as possible before your operation. There are reasons why your doctor is giving you these orders, so it is important for your health and well-being to follow what they say.
Playing it Safe in the Hospital
Once your surgery or other medical procedure is over, there are still some basic precautions you can follow to keep yourself safe and healthy.
While not all healthcare-associated infections can be prevented, patients can play an active role in the recovery process by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, following doctor’s orders, and taking the proper precautions to keep germs and bacteria away.
If you or a loved one acquired a serious infection while at a hospital, you should contact one of Ross Feller Casey’s experienced hospital infection attorneys now for a free case review. The firm has won numerous, multi-million recoveries on behalf of those who acquired severe infections during their hospital stay and is the recognized leader in litigating such cases.
As with all our cases, we operate on a contingency basis, so there will never be a cost to you unless a financial recovery is made.
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