Life Science Engineering / Healthcare IT

I think there should be some discussion of Hospital reporting of superbugs, nosocomial infections, and other new biological threats that are surfacing....Strategy dealing with isolation and tracking infection incidence are perhaps the most serious threats facing modern health care today....I think a database with real time monitoring of this threat, and which treatments and strategies are tried, and what worked, should be accessible to all...

"Hospital-acquired infection (HAI) - also known as nosocomial infection - is an infection that is contracted from the environment or staff of a healthcare facility. It can be spread in the hospital environment, nursing home environment, rehabilitation facility, clinic,or other clinical settings. Infection is spread to the susceptible patient in the clinical setting by a number of means. Health care staff can spread infection, in addition to contaminated equipment, bed linens, or air droplets. The infection can originate from the outside environment, another infected patient, staff that may be infected, or in some cases, the source of the infection cannot be determined. In some cases the microorganism originates from the patient's own skin microbiota, becoming opportunistic after surgery or other procedures that compromise the protective skin barrier. Though the patient may have contracted the infection from their own skin, the infection is still considered nosocomial since it develops in the health care setting.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated roughly 1.7 million hospital-associated infections, from all types of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi combined, cause or contribute to 99,000 deaths each year.^{[citation needed]} In Europe, where hospital surveys have been conducted, the category of gram-negative infections are estimated to account for two-thirds of the 25,000 deaths each year. Nosocomial infections can cause severe pneumonia and infections of the urinary tract, bloodstream and other parts of the body. Many types are difficult to treat with antibiotics, and. In addition, antibiotic resistance can complicate treatment."

..."Another growing disease, especially prevalent in New York City hospitals, is the drug-resistant, gram-negative Klebsiella pneumoniae. An estimated more than 20% of the Klebsiella infections in Brooklyn hospitals "are now resistant to virtually all modern antibiotics, and those supergerms are now spreading worldwide.^[19]"...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital-acquired_infection

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klebsiella_pneumoniae

...and it's getting worse...

Strictly from a patient's point of view, let me fill out the forms on-line. Even if I have to print them out at home and bring them into the office with me.

More importantly, I have more "ologists" than many and I'd like for them to keep my records SECURE. Data theft is my biggest fear because right now I'm enrolled in three free credit reporting services because my insurance, educational and financial records and who knows what else have been compromised.

Having been married to an RN for over 40 years (who also spent multiple times as a surgical patient), I have to note that while SE's post is quite on the money as far as describing the problems facing the healthcare industry, it fails, at least in my opinion, to truly address the problem-overworked and underappreciated personnel. Heck, I looked at one of the Wikipedia articles, and in one photo the amount and configuration of equipment shoved into a room literally DEFIES proper sanitation.

While the information presented is accurate as to the facts regarding infection transmission, the additional charting would just add another task to the many already required.

If you want to know what's going on with patient care ASK A NURSE.

The nurse is on duty 8-12 hours, and sees the patient at least when recording vital signs several times per shift; the doctor considerably less.

Then there's the good old PC - conditions that may require certain protective equipment can't be discussed openly between colleagues

As far as filling out forms, I'm 100% with Lyn, and not just for the sake of security. Since everybody and their brother-in-law seem to need to know everything about you, filling out forms on a clipboard becomes an art form the more "ologists" one sees, as he notes.

But don't worry, some paper pusher will read this, come up with a great report, and all will be well.