News: HACs declined by nearly 1 million between 2014 and 2017

Hospital-acquired conditions (HAC) declined by 13% between 2014 and 2017, preventing an estimated 20,500 deaths and $7.7 billion in healthcare costs, according to preliminary data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

HACs decreased by an estimated 910,000 over the period, including the following:

• 37% decline in c. difficile infections
• 28% decline in adverse drug events
• 17% decline in post-operative venous thromboembolisms
• 13% decline in ventilator-associated pneumonias
• 6% decline in central line-associated bloodstream infections
• 6% decline in pressure ulcers/injuries
• 5% decline in catheter-associated urinary tract infections
• 5% decline in falls
• 5% decline in obstetric adverse events

According to the report, the goal for 2019 is a 20% reduction in HACs, which would result in approximately 1.8 million fewer HACs, $19.2 billion in cost savings, and 53,000 HAC-related deaths adverted from 2015-2019.

Editor’s note: To read the complete report from AHRQ, click here. To read more about HACs and CDI, click here.