As the threat of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) continues to escalate, hospitals are grappling with the dual challenges of business risks and eliciting public trust. In an environment where health care institutions frequently position their brand around exceptional care, innovative technologies and infrastructure, the turn of the new year calls for a significant shift in focus. There is an increasing need for hospitals to highlight their robust cleaning and disinfection standards, which are becoming significant determinants of business performance, employee retention, and patient choice of hospital. Proper cleaning and infection prevention are also integral to mitigating the business risk hospitals face in 2024.
The past months have taught us that SARS-CoV-2 is just one of many dangerous pathogens that pose a severe risk to human health and our health care systems. The confluence of seasonal influenza, ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks, increased cases of respiratory syncytial virus, and reported mycoplasma infections have resulted in an elevated demand for hospital and doctor visits. This congestion places immense pressure on hospitals, exposing their staff and patients to potentially infectious diseases. The challenge is compounded by the burgeoning issue of MDROs breeding within health care facilities. For example, efforts to control the outbreak of Candida Auris across U.S. communities saw clinical cases more than triple from 757 in 2020 to 2377 in 2022. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention underscored the concern for disinfection compliance in long-term healthcare facilities, citing them as the primary sites for C Auris transmission in the U.S.
These pathogen outbreaks don’t just strain the ability of health care systems to provide adequate care; they negatively impact the financial stability of these institutions as well. One critical repercussion is the penalties levied by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services under the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program, aimed at incentivizing hospitals to reduce health care-associated infections (HAIs). Reinstated in 2022, hospitals recording Total HAC scores greater than the 75th percentile face a reduction by 1% in reimbursements.
The ramifying public health concerns also influence patient and staff perception about hospital safety, reproduced in the results of a late-2023 survey, which showed that 50% of Americans are apprehensive about contracting an infection from a hospital. Cleanliness was a decisive factor for more than 75% of the respondents when choosing a healthcare facility.
To regain public trust in 2024 and beyond, health system leaders must prioritize improved infection prevention measures. Implementing these measures begins with reinforcing surface cleaning standards. Studies across various hospitals have shown that improved cleaning compliance can lower instances of HAIs by around 50%. Rollouts of fast, efficient programs, on par with the protocol introduced by Fraser Health in late 2022, can pair enhanced infection prevention practices with new technologies. Structured communication about these improvements helps assuage staff and public concerns. Celebrating infection prevention standards in 2024, health system leaders can enhance patient and staff safety, build trust, and mitigate business risk.