Underscoring the importance of fighting antibiotic-resistant infections, a new study has concluded that surgical patients whose incisions are infected by such bugs are at much greater risk for re-hospitalization and death. It also concluded that treating these infections add as much as $60,000 per patient to their hospital bill.
To examine the impact of antibiotic-resistant infections, Duke University Medical Center researchers looked at 90-day postoperative outcomes for 659 patients, some with MRSA and some infected with methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).
Patients with MRSA averaged three additional weeks of hospitalization and $60,000 more in hospital costs than patients who were never infected. Also, patients with MRSA-related surgical site infections were 35 times more likely to be re-hospitalized and seven times more likely to die within 90 days than patients who didn't contract such an infection.
To learn more about the study:
- read this HealthDay News piece
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