When a family member is hospitalized, you hope that they are able to receive
treatment that will help resolve their medical issues. But even if your
loved one successfully undergoes surgery or other treatment, he or she
may be vulnerable during the remainder of their stay at a health care facility.
Even though we may think of health care facilities as being clean, germ-free
environments, a patient can still acquire an infection while in recovery.
Such infections are called “health care-associated infections”
and they can lead to severe or even fatal medical complications.
But there are things that patients can do to improve their odds of avoiding
HAIs while staying in health care facilities. The
following tips are offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Patients should make sure that anyone who touches them has clean hands.
- Patients should be aware of symptoms and signs of infection such as pain
and fever. - To lessen the likelihood of complications, patients should get vaccinations
to counter flu and other infections. - Patients who have three or more episodes of diarrhea within a span of 24
hours should alert their attending physicians. - Patients should ask their doctors about their methods of surgical site
infection prevention.
These tips can help patients stay free of infections as they recover in
a health care facility. However, the onus is on the facility?s personnel
to minimize the risk of HAIs.
Should you lose a loved one to a HAI, you will likely be left in a state of emotional distress. But
it is important that you address the issue with those who may be responsible.
A Texas personal injury attorney may be able to help you by performing
an investigation of the event.
Depending on the circumstances, you may wish to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit. In doing so, you may not only receive financial compensation,
but also encourage the health care facility to change any dangerous practices.
Contact us today!