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HOW YOUR HOSPITAL CAN MAKE YOU SICK

By The Editors Of Consumer Reports® 4 min read

In the ongoing war of humans vs. disease-causing bacteria, the bugs are gaining the upper hand, according to Consumer Reports. Deadly and unrelenting, they’re becoming more and more difficult to kill.

You might think of hospitals as sterile safety zones in that battle. But in truth, they are ground zero for the invasion.

Every year, an estimated 648,000 people in the U.S. develop infections during a hospital stay, and about 75,000 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s more than twice the number of people who die each year in car crashes.

IN THE DANGER ZONE

“Hospitals can be hot spots for infections and can sometimes amplify (their) spread,” says Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC. “Patients with serious infections are near sick and vulnerable patients — all cared for by the same health care workers, sometimes using shared equipment.”

Making the situation even more dangerous is the widespread, inappropriate use of antibiotics that’s common in hospitals, which encourages the growth of “superbugs” that are immune to the drugs and kill off patients’ protective bacteria.

It’s “the perfect storm” for infections to develop and spread, says Dr. Arjun Srinivasan, who oversees the CDC’s efforts to prevent hospital-acquired infections. “We’ve reached the point where patients are dying of infections in hospitals that we have no antibiotics to treat.”

To learn more about superbugs and hospital infections, read CR’s report, “How Your Hospital Can Make You Sick,” at ConsumerReports.org/cro/hospitalinfections2015.

Consumer Reports recommends these ways of protecting yourself against superbugs:

IN THE HOSPITAL

n Consider MRSA testing. A nasal swab can detect low levels of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and allow medical staff to take precautions, such as having you wash with a special soap before your procedure.

n Insist on cleanliness. Consumer Reports recommends asking to have your room cleaned if it looks dirty. Take bleach wipes for bed rails, doorknobs and the TV remote. Insist that everyone who enters your room wash his or her hands. Keep your own hands clean, washing regularly with soap and water.

n Question antibiotics. Make sure that any antibiotics prescribed to you in the hospital are needed and appropriate for your infection.

n Watch out for heartburn drugs. Medications such as Nexium and Prilosec increase the risk of developing Clostridium difficile (C-diff) symptoms by reducing stomach acid that appears to help keep the bug in check. So ask whether the drug is needed and request the lowest dose for the shortest possible time.

n Ask every day whether “tubes” can be removed. The risk of infection increases the longer items such as catheters and ventilators are left in place. If you’re not able to ask, be sure a friend or family member does.

n Say no to razors. If you need to be shaved, use an electric hair remover, not a razor, because any nick can provide an opening for infection.

AT HOME

If you’ve been in the hospital, “Assume you’ve been exposed to potentially dangerous bacteria,” says Lisa McGiffert, director of the Consumer Reports Safe Patient Project. Here’s what to do when you get home to keep yourself and your family safe:

n Watch for warning signs. They include fever, diarrhea, worsening pain or an incision site that becomes warm, red and swollen. People at particular risk include adults older than 65 as well as infants, anyone on antibiotics and people with a compromised immune system.

n Practice good hygiene. If you or someone you live with receives a diagnosis of a hospital-acquired infection after being discharged from the hospital, Consumer Reports recommends taking extra precautions to make sure that it doesn’t spread. Clean frequently touched surfaces with 1 part bleach mixed with 10 parts water. Reserve a bathroom for the infected person. If that’s not possible, use the bleach solution to disinfect surfaces between uses. Don’t share toiletries or towels; use paper towels rather than cloth hand towels.

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