Hospitals are making people sicker?

[turtlegirl]

Has this happened to anyone else? Thank goodness I've never had to go to the hospital here. However, of all the people I know who have been treated at a certain hospital, all of them, plus half of their visitors, have come out with some sort of infection that usually requires medicine, or worst case - surgery! I'm really dismayed, and angry!! Hospitals are facilities for the purpose of providing people with appropriate medical care, right? So how come virtually everyone I can think of gets sicker, by infection, while at the hospital?? Its disturbing!! Infection!?! Whats going on?!

Anyone in the medical community have an explaination? Any stories or opinions? My sweet, sweet neighbor friend has to have surgery soon for an infection in her heart. Her heart!! She's not even going to the hospital for heart treatments!! I'm so upset and appalled that this happens with apparent regularity!!

[Ron Whitfield]

Nothing new...
It's no secret that you don't want to be in a hospital for any reason longer than you NEED to be there, danger bugs are everywhere, and exacerbated by negligent safety/health proceedures, like the basics of docs/nurses not washing up properly every time. Unnecessary contamination is rampant in medical settings.

[MyopicJoe]

Sadly I hear stories of people going to hospitals for minor issues and leaving with bigger ones. Contagious diseases love dense populations to begin with, but now take it up a notch with dense populations of sick/weakened people.

My dad used to repair medical equipment. He never worked in the same room as the patients and he never worked if he felt sick, so he never caught anything serious. He would get funky colds, probably from breathing the circulated air.

My guess is you get the serious stuff from being touched by the staff. I'm guessing they get it from touching other patients or contaminated surfaces/equipment.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a big problem in hospitals.

[Amati]

Originally Posted by Ron Whitfield

...exacerbated by negligent safety/health proceedures, like the basics of docs/nurses not washing up properly every time.

This is a warning that is repeatedly given about being in the hospital, insist that the medical care people wash their hands before touching you. Every time, every procedure. And gloves do not replace the need to WASH.

[turtlegirl]

Ummm, every time I go into a public bathroom, there's those signs from the Health Dept about the importance of, and how to - - - WASH YOUR HANDS!! Its 10000 times more important in a hospital setting, where some of their patients may have a communicable disease!! Furthermore, I would think that hand washing is stressed in med school! Something is WRONG with this!! Very, gravely wrong!! It has caused deaths!! Do they just not care at all about the quality of care they give? Do they make more money by infecting people?? This is unbelievably SHAMEFUL!! SHAME on hospitals that infect people!!! How can we put an end to this? I'm horrified and disgusted and angry.

[turtlegirl]

BTW, In most hospitals, there's at least hand sanitizer readily available, oftentimes at the door of the rooms!! You doctors and nurses went to school and spent $10,000 or more to make people well, not sicker!!

[btwnc2c]

This is not something new. ;( You can pick up more infections being in a hospital. I had surgery (maybe 10 years ago); my insurance would've probaby allowed for a longer stay. My surgeon actually wanted me to go home after several days. Said I would've picked up "bad stuff" staying in the hospital. I went home and had home health care (a nurse coming in every day) for 3 months. My daughter is an RN but working in Administation as a Case Worker in the system. She has been major sick for the last 2 months and so has her co-workers and that's not even been doing hands-on care with patients. My SIL works in the school system, he picks up stuff from the students. My poor 18-month old grandchild is down again with a viral infection. They are all down doing antibiotics and whatever and just trying to go to work. They do precautions as far as transference in the hospitals or any other setting but I think it'll still happen unfortunately.

[Amati]

Interested in a few stats? If not, skip this posting. [My bolds]

http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/burden.html

Approximately 1 out of every 20 hospitalized patients will contract an HAI [healthcare-associated infections].

(I've read on some sites is is closer to a 10% rate.)

http://www.dotgovwatch.com/?/archive...tatistics.html

According to CDC estimates, about there are 1.7 million infections acquired in U.S. hospitals every year, and almost 100,000 of them result in death.

http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/pdfs/stateplans/hi.pdf

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are infections that patients acquire while undergoing medical treatment or surgical procedures.

They are among the top ten leading causes of death in the United States.

According to the Hawaii Health Information Corporation (HHIC)—Hawaii has seen a steady increase in the number of hospital stays for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) since 1995. Hospital stays for MRSA infections have nearly tripled from 2000, and increased twenty-fold from 1995. Hawaii’s MRSA hospitalization rate is higher than the rest of the U.S., where rates range between 89 and 113 hospitalizations per 100,000 population

There ya' are, more than you probably want to know about.

[btwnc2c]

Yeah, just had to add that when I was in the hospital (and that was 10 yrs. ago in the Midwest), it was a private room, hospital staff did the hand-sanitization before they came in and all that. My doctor still wanted me to go home and being taken care of in my own environment that was more sterile than in a hospital setting.

[Kaonohi]

Originally Posted by btwnc2c

Yeah, just had to add that when I was in the hospital (and that was 10 yrs. ago in the Midwest), it was a private room, hospital staff did the hand-sanitization before they came in and all that. My doctor still wanted me to go home and being taken care of in my own environment that was more sterile than in a hospital setting.

I think that is SOP these days - give patients the 'bum's rush' out the door before they get sick.

It's good medicine, I guess; there's lots of sick people in hospitals, with contageous infections!

Last June I was in for four days for a total knee replacement, then back again in two weeks for a week on IV antibiotics to kill the subsequent infection.

[acousticlady]

And this is why hospitals scare me to death........ seriously, I would have to be a death's door before I went to one.

[tutusue]

Originally Posted by acousticlady

And this is why hospitals scare me to death........ seriously, I would have to be a death's door before I went to one.

That makes 2 of us. I've even stopped visiting friends in the hospital. I make it up to them when they get home.

[anapuni808]

I spent 2 weeks at QUEEN'S HOSPITAL last summer being treated for a very serious infection in my leg. I received excellent treatment for the INFECTION and did not contract any other INFECTION while a patient there. I will admit that I was concerned when first admitted about all the stories I had heard about infections caused by hospitals. But, I have to say that the practices of the Docs and nurses were impeccable and my worries soon went away.

I don't know if Queen's was the hospital mentioned earlier but my care there was excellent and I have had full recovery.

[1stwahine]

MAMA is 85 years old. She's had open heart, stent surgery in her heart, shunts in her arms, and several other hospitilizations. She's survived it all with no complications. HAWAII MEDICAL CENTER EAST is tops to us. I'm a regular visitor to their cafeteria when I wait for her when she goes to treatment.

HMA is accredited by The Joint Commission, www.jointcommission.org

"The Joint Commission standards deal with organization quality, safety of care issues, and the safety of the environment in which care is provided. Hawaii Medical East and Hawaii Medical Center West are committed to providing only the highest quality care. Anyone believing that he or she has pertinent and valid information or a concern about the quality of care or safety provided at either hospital, please ask to talk to the Manager of the Department."

If the concern is not resolved, such information can be reported to the Hawaii State Department of Health or The Joint Commission.

DOH Facilities & Services Licensing Complaint Hotline, (800) 633-6828
The Joint Commission, www.jointcommission.org or (800) 994-6610

Auntie Lynn

[Ron Whitfield]

Most any hospital is striving for the best in everything, there are nice things to say about all of them. But it's the nature of the beast that they are also breeding ground zeros for nasties, and bad habits by humans, no matter how well meaning or generally mindful, are the main causes for needless complications.

[Frankie's Market]

Originally Posted by Ron Whitfield

Most any hospital is striving for the best in everything, there are nice things to say about all of them. But it's the nature of the beast that they are also breeding ground zeros for nasties, and bad habits by humans, no matter how well meaning or generally mindful, are the main causes for needless complications.

Well said, Ron.

And this should also be said. While handwashing is very important, even the most meticulous practices of hygiene in the hospital provides no guarantee of 100% effectiveness in the prevention of infections and the spread of germs and sickness.

[surlygirly]

I've had 13 surgeries and been hospitalized three times (not to mention numerous ER visits). Not once did I contract any infection. I did, however, have the unfortunate experience of having a severe allergic reaction to the liquid adhesive they applied to my sutures so the bandages would stick better. The first time we didn't know I was allergic. The second time, I had an allergy bracelet on my wrist and told EVERYBODY I saw pre-op about my allergy. Woke up the next day bright red and itching like you wouldn't believe.