Some important facts regarding Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) include the following:
- Amongst the reported hospital acquired infections (HAIs), the most common is urinary tract infections (UTIs). An approximate of 80% of these UTIs is caused by CAUTI.
- CAUTI can cause infection on operative sites. It is linked to increased death and morbidity rates and is considered to be one of the major causes of bloodstream infections or septicemia.
- An approximate of 12 to 25% hospitalized patients are inserted with indwelling catheters, about half of these figure are inserted without appropriate reasons or indications.
- The risk for a catheterized individual to develop CAUTI increases for about 3 to 7% everyday while the indwelling catheter is left in place.
- Urinary drainage systems, including catheter use are sources of organisms that are antibiotic resistant. These organisms can cause infections that can be passed to other patients as well as on hospital staff.
- Recent and earlier studies demonstrate that patients who developed CAUTI will have a longer hospital stay. Their expenses also increase as much as $1,000 per case and even more if they develop any complication or if their CAUTI is caused by an antibiotic resistant organism.
- Studies reveal that an approximate of 40% physicians who are attending to patients with unnecessary indwelling catheters is unaware that they were still in.
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) eliminated payment for CAUTI complications if an individual develops an infection while being hospitalized.
These facts only show that CAUTI can negatively impact the lives of individuals who develop it. More importantly it increases unnecessary cost for everybody – the healthcare providers as well as the patients.
Verus Healthcare 