Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) and post-surgical infection present real risks of serious injury or wrongful death to hospital patients. A Centers for Disease Control report placed overall annual direct medical costs of HAI to U.S. hospitals at between $28.4 and $45 billion. Those enormous healthcare costs don’t include the to immeasurable suffering of injured patients and their loved ones from medical mistakes that cause infection.

Hospitals that implement strict infection prevention procedures deserve respect. Unfortunately, many patients remain at risk. Outbreak investigations in dialysis and other health-care settings have demonstrated that mishandling of parenteral medication vials can contribute to the risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, as well as bacterial and other infections Conditions associated with medical devices and medical procedures may also develop. Patients may encounter a catheter-associated urinary tract infections (UTI) foot spa and hot tub associated infection, intravascular catheter-associated bloodstream infection, surgical site infection (SSI), or ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Healthcare providers may not be responsible for causing infections, but they must try to prevent them, watch for them carefully, and treat them aggressively when they occur. Failure to diagnose and treat HAIs and post-operative complications may cause serious personal injuries. The patient may require additional and expensive medical treatment, delaying recovery from the procedure for which he or she entered the hospital, prolonging pain, and inflicting emotional trauma.

If you or loved ones have sustained injury due to a healthcare-associated infection or post surgical infection, the Law Office of Dane E. Johnson offers a free medical negligence lawyer consultation. Contact the Law Office of Dane E. Johnson online, or call us toll free at (800) 714-3204. If you need immediate assistance with a medical negligence legal question, call Portland, Oregon medical malpractice lawyer and personal injury attorney Dane E. Johnson directly at (503) 975-8298.