How safe is your hospital?

Hospitals are not always a place where patients get better. On the other hand, they can get complications, usually as a result of a hospital acquired infection, says DR. RAM GOPALAKRISHNAN.

WITH advances in medical expertise and technology, patients with chronic diseases live longer and healthier lives. However this often means longer and expensive phases of hospitalisation so that appropriate treatments can be carried out. Hospitals are not always a place where patients get better: on the other hand they can get complications on top of the original disease, usually as a result of a hospital acquired infection.

Hospital-acquired infections (also called nosocomical infections) occur worldwide and the science of prevention and treatment of these infections is a sub-speciality. Several factors have contributed to the increasing incidence of these infections:

An older and more vulnerable population:

With medical advances, hospitalised patients today are older and have more chronic diseases than a couple of decades ago. Many with hyper tension and diabetes live longer. For example, a coronary bypass on an aged patient with diabetes is common; in the past, this patient would probably not have survived his heart illness. But, today, this patient may not be able to withstand infectious complications, an issue which would not have arisen in the past.

Treatment of diseases like cancer and organ transplants often suppresses a patient's immune system.

This increases the likelihood of infection in hospital.

Poor hygienic standards and infection control practices: Unfortunately this aspect is far from optimal in many hospitals, because very few have an infection control programme or committee in place.

Hospital-acquired infections are difficult to treat and may even be fatal For instance, bacteria such as Staphylococci and Pseudomonas are resistant to most antibiotics.

There are not many trained or experienced doctors to treat these serious infections.

Moreover, treatment can run into thousands of rupees. So, prevention is better than cure. Many infections can be prevented by simple measures such as:

Having a committee to ensure hygiene and disinfection in a hospital.

Everytime a doctor or nurse touches a patient they must wash their hands. This has been shown to be the most effective measure against infections.

Restricting the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in hospital. This reduces the resistance in bacteria.

Patients and their attendants too have a role to play. Here are some suggestions:

Go to a hospital with a reputation for cleanliness and good medical standards.

Find out whether the hospital has an infection control programme and physicians trained in treating complicated hospital acquired infections.

Ensure that doctors and nurses wash their hands after touching a patient.

If you or your family member are unfortunate enough to get an infectious complication, see that a qualified specialist is available for assistance in management.

Remember that getting admitted to hospital does not always mean that the original disease or problem will be eliminated without complications.

The writer is Consultant Physician, Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine Appollo Hospital and Apollo Speciality Hospital, Chennai.

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