CDC: Thousands of Hospital Infections Are Preventable

The Washington Post reported that "Deadly yet easily preventable bloodstream infections continue to plague American hospitals, because facility administrators fail to commit resources and attention to the problem, according to a survey of medical professionals released Monday." The data show that about "80,000 patients per year develop catheter-related bloodstream infections, or CRBSIs -- which can occur when tubes are inserted into a vein to monitor blood flow or deliver medication and nutrients are improperly prepared or left in longer than necessary." The CDC has estimated that "30,000 patients die as a result...accounting for nearly a third of annual deaths due to hospital-acquired infections in the United States."