Accreditation

Study: Recounting the cost of CAUTIs

Briefings on Accreditation and Quality, May 1, 2018

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Catheter infections cost way more than $1,000

You probably know that CMS doesn’t reimburse for hospital-acquired infections (HAI), including catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), the most common healthcare-associated condition in the U.S. 

What you may not know is that CAUTIs cost hospitals far more than most think. While most say the average cost of treating a CAUTI is $1,000, that figure is likely too low. In some cases, it’s 10 times too low. 

That’s according to a new study published in the American Journal of Infection Control. The study was written by Christopher S. Hollenbeak, PhD, professor of surgery and public health sciences at Pennsylvania State University, and Amber L. Schilling, PharmD, MEd, research analyst at the Penn State College of Medicine.

The pair systematically reviewed patient-level cost data, focusing on studies conducted in the United States between 2000 and 2017.

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