Healthcare-Associated Infections

Healthcare workers aim to give the best possible care, but sometimes things can go wrong a patient can get an infection while in the hospital. These infections are caused by germs and viruses and are called Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs).

About one in every 20 hospitalized patients gets an infection; over one million HAIs occur across the healthcare system every year.¹ These infections are a threat to patient safety and a major cause of illness in the United States.

If you are a patient in a hospital:

• Clean your hands and be sure everyone cleans their hands before touching you
• If you have a tube to drain your urine (one of the main ways an infection occurs), ask each day if it is needed
• Tell your doctor if you have diarrhea three or more times a day, especially if you have been taking an antibiotic
• Prior to a hospital admission, review a hospital’s infection rates on the Hospital Compare website

1. National Action Plan to Prevent Health Care-Associated Infections: Road Map to Elimination (April 2013)

If you want to be more connected and have accesses to resources, education and information on healthcare safety and infection prevention, join the Great Plains Learning and Action Network. We welcome your participation. Join today.