The Patient Room: what is the ideal solution? - Cornell University

Single Patient Rooms and Safety: Infection Control
What is the current status of Infection Control in the U.S.?
For the sake of the patient and for the hospital’s
reputation and financial standing, infection control has
become of paramount concern to current health
officials. The lower the infection rates within the
hospital, the more popular the hospital is to patients
seeking medical attention.
The Current Facts:
• Hospital-acquired infections cause the U.S. hospitals
a reported sum of $5 billion each year (Institute of
Medicine, 2001).
• In 2002, there were approximately 1.7 million cases of
hospital acquired infections in US hospitals, with 98,987
associated deaths
• Approximately 1 out of every 22 hospitalized patients
acquired an infection in 2002 (Ulrich, 2008).
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